WEATHERFORD – SWOSU Men's Hoops was on the wrong end of a physical, grind-it-out battle against Southern Nazarene on Saturday, falling 62-57 to the Crimson Storm.
 
The loss gives SWOSU a split of the week's action after defeating Northwestern on Thursday, while SNU completed the regular season sweep of the Bulldogs.
 
The game opened at a slow pace, with both teams struggling to find rhythm offensively. Southern Nazarene led 2-1 at the first media timeout and 6-5 at the second, before gradually creating separation late in the half. The Crimson Storm built their largest first-half lead at 21-13 with 3:11 remaining, but SWOSU closed strong with five straight points to cut the deficit to 21-18 at halftime. Both teams shot below 30 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes and made just two three-pointers apiece in a defensive first half.
 
The tempo picked up after the break, and SWOSU briefly gained control. After trailing early in the second half, the Bulldogs took the lead with 12:25 to play when Kray Rogers knocked down a three-pointer. The teams traded baskets for the next stretch before SWOSU put together its best run of the night, using an 8-0 spurt to push its advantage to 48-40 with 8:35 remaining.
 
Southern Nazarene responded, chipping away until the score was tied at 52-52 with 4:45 to play. A 6-0 Crimson Storm run from there provided the cushion SNU needed to hang on down the stretch.
 
Free throws proved costly for SWOSU in the closing minutes. Trailing 58-54, the Bulldogs missed four free throws over the final 2:40 that could have tightened the game or pulled it even. SWOSU was forced to continue playing from behind, and a potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds did not fall. Southern Nazarene sealed the win at the foul line on the other end.
 
SWOSU finished 13-of-23 (56.5%) at the free throw line and shot 36 percent overall from the field. The Bulldogs went 6-of-19 from three-point range, hitting 4-of-9 in the second half.
 
Southern Nazarene shot 42 percent for the game, fueled by a 15-of-26 (58%) second-half performance. The Crimson Storm went 4-of-19 (21%) from deep and 10-of-15 at the free throw line.
 
SNU held a slight rebounding edge, 38-35, and committed one fewer turnover than SWOSU (14-13). Ty Frierson led the Bulldogs with 13 points, while Tobias Roland added 10 as the other double-figure scorer.
 
SWOSU drops to 10-13 overall and 7-10 in GAC play. The Bulldogs will make up a previously rescheduled matchup at Oklahoma Baptist on Monday (Feb. 16) in Shawnee before returning home to host Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas this Thursday and Saturday.