ADA, Okla. – A last-second three-pointer from Tauriawn Knight bounced off the back iron and left SWOSU with a 73-70 defeat at East Central on Saturday afternoon at the Kerr Activity Center.
 
East Central shot 51.7% from the field in the first half and knocked down three three-pointers as they built a 39-35 lead at the break. The Tigers build their largest lead of eight points early in the second half, but the Bulldogs came back and took the lead twice after halftime, the last at 64-62 on a layup from Damion Thornton with 4:30 to play.
 
ECU broke a 64-all tie on a three-pointer with 3:09 to play and pushed the lead to five with just under one minute to play. Showing their resolve, the Dawgs got back within three on a pair of free throws by Thornton with less than eight seconds to play. A steal by Knight gave him a shot to tie at the buzzer, but his shot hit the rim and bounced off as time expired, allowing ECU to escape with the win.
 
Knight led the Bulldogs with 18 points and four rebounds while Kamden Gipson added 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Thornton chipped in 12 points and four rebounds and Bralyn James also reached double figures with 10 points on 3-8 shooting.
 
"That was a tough game today, just no focus on our part," Head Coach Terry Evans said. "We got down early, turned the ball over too many times and had to fight uphill all game. Teams in this league are all so evenly matched that the team that's more focused and ready to play is going to win the game and we weren't that team today."
 
The loss drops SWOSU to 6-5 on the year heading into a rivalry matchup with Northwestern Oklahoma State on Monday night in Weatherford.