WEATHERFORD, Okla. – SWOSU Men's Basketball opened up the season by hosting the GAC/MIAA Crossover Challenge inside the Pioneer Cellular Event Center this past Friday and Saturday. The Bulldogs split their action, taking down Fort Hays State 59-56 before falling to Emporia State a day later.
 
SWOSU's win over Fort Hays is a strong one. The Tigers entered Friday's matchup receiving national votes in the preseason poll and finished just one game shy of an MIAA regular season championship last season.
 
The Dawgs get to stay in Weatherford by welcoming Cameron to town next Wednesday, November 16. Tipoff for that contest is set for 7pm.
 
GAME ONE – Fort Hays State – 11/11/22
 
The Bulldogs knocked down six three-point shots in the first half and shot 43% as a team in route to building a 16-point halftime lead.
 
They would need every bit of that cushion in the second half, as the shots stopped falling and Fort Hays inched back into the game. The Dawgs had a pair of scoreless droughts of over four minutes in the second half and were on their heels heading down the stretch.
 
In winning time, SWOSU clutched up. It was free throws late that helped push the home squad to the finish line.
 
Trailing by one point with less than a minute to play after the Tigers knocked down a jump shot to grab the lead, Chris Braggs, Jr. and Ben Smith connected on 5-of-6 from the foul line in that final minute thanks to physical attacks to the basket. The defense also came up big with two timely stops to prevent scores.
 
Four Bulldogs spread the offense around and finished with double-digit scoring numbers, led by Kamden Gipson and Smith who both had 13 apiece. Victor Irhirhi, playing his first game as a Bulldog, added 12 points on 4-for-8 from beyond the arc. Braggs, Jr. had 11.
 
Both teams shot under 35% in the game.
 
GAME TWO – EMPORIA STATE – 11/12/22
 
Scoring woes from the second half of Friday lingered into Saturday. SWOSU again shot under 35% and got outscored in both halves.
 
A DeAngelo Adkins three pointer in the closing seconds of the first half prevented the dawgs from being outscored by double digits in both 20-minute sessions.
 
Jalen Johnson led all Bulldog scorers with 15 points and had four assists. Ben Smith had 13 points. Adkins finished with eight rebounds. He led the Dawgs in rebounding in both games after hauling in nine boards against FHSU.  
 
SWOSU's defense did force Emporia into 18 turnovers and won the turnover battle 18-9.