WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Men's Basketball controlled the game for most of the night and answered every Henderson State push, earning a 76-63 victory over the Reddies on Thursday in Weatherford.
SWOSU set the tone early from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs knocked down seven three-pointers in the first half while Henderson State went without a make from deep, helping SWOSU build a 39-32 halftime advantage. SWOSU led by as many as 13 late in the opening half before the Reddies trimmed the margin to four in the final minute.
Tucker Shepherd drilled a three-pointer in the closing seconds to send the Bulldogs into the break with momentum.
Henderson State attempted to make things interesting early in the second half, cutting SWOSU's lead to six with 13:06 remaining, but the Bulldogs responded quickly and pushed the margin back to double digits. SWOSU continued to provide answers offensively and maintained control the rest of the way, leading for nearly 36 minutes of game time.
The Bulldogs finished the night with 13 made three-pointers, matching their season high and setting a new mark for most threes made in a conference game this season. SWOSU connected on six three-pointers after halftime to repeatedly nullify Henderson State's attempts to climb back into the game.
The free-throw line also played a major role in the win, as SWOSU went 19-of-27 compared to Henderson State's 6-of-11.
Tobias Roland turned in a season-high 21 points and was perfect at the foul line, finishing 8-of-8. Four Bulldogs scored in double figures, led by
Kray Rogers with 13 points,
Spencer Musgrove with 12, and
Kayden Carter with 11.
Defensively, SWOSU limited Henderson State to just 3-of-13 from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs held the Reddies without a three-pointer in the first half, and aside from Henderson State's final two makes in the closing two minutes, SWOSU allowed just one meaningful three-point make throughout the contest.
With the win, SWOSU improves to 5-8 overall and 2-5 in Great American Conference play. The Bulldogs have now won two of their last three and will face another tough home test Saturday when league-leading Ouachita Baptist — a team receiving votes in this week's NABC Division II Poll — visits Weatherford.
