WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Men's Basketball opened the 2026 portion of its schedule with a 77-72 loss to East Central on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bulldogs looked sharp early and carried a halftime lead into the break, but a prolonged cold stretch after intermission opened the door for the Tigers to rally and spoil SWOSU's return from a two-week Christmas Break hiatus.
 
SWOSU trailed in the early minutes before regaining the lead just inside the 15-minute mark of the first half, then controlled the remainder of the opening period. The Bulldogs shot 54% from the field and knocked down 5-of-11 from three-point range in the first half, building a lead that grew to as many as nine. Kray Rogers punctuated the run with a step-back three at the buzzer, sending SWOSU into halftime with a 38-30 advantage.
 
SWOSU also forced eight first-half turnovers and received balanced scoring from Rogers and Kayden Carter, who each scored 10 points before the break. The Bulldogs' efficient shooting helped offset a 12-4 deficit in second-chance points, as East Central grabbed seven offensive rebounds in the opening 20 minutes.
 
The momentum shifted in the second half. SWOSU's offense cooled significantly, including a stretch where the Bulldogs made just one of 11 consecutive field goal attempts. East Central capitalized with a 10-0 run midway through the half to erase the deficit and force a lead change, setting up a back-and-forth battle for the next several minutes.
 
The Tigers finally moved in front for good with just under five minutes remaining and held on the rest of the way, surviving SWOSU's late pushes that included a four-point play from Tobias Roland.
 
SWOSU finished the game shooting 44% from the field, but a 36% mark in the second half — which climbed from the high 20s after a few late makes — proved costly. East Central shot 48% overall and 55% in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs 47-34 after the break.
 
Ty Frierson and Carter led SWOSU with 19 points apiece. Frierson poured in 15 of his points after halftime and filled the stat sheet with seven assists and five steals. Rogers had 12 points battling through foul trouble, while Roland finished with 11 points, eight of which came at the free-throw line.
 
SWOSU was outrebounded 37-27 but won the turnover battle, 14-10.
 
The Bulldogs (4-8, 1-5 GAC) will continue their homestand next Thursday and Saturday as Henderson State and Ouachita Baptist visit Weatherford.