CHICKASHA, Okla. (Feb. 10, 2011) – The Oklahoma Christian men's basketball team suffered a 92-86 defeat to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma on the road on Thursday night.
The Eagles got things started on a high note when Jeff Crocker drained a three just seconds into the period. After a retaliation trey from the Drovers, the Eagles hit two more baskets to jump to a five-point lead less than two minutes in.
OC held a lead until 14:07 was showing on the clock when a three-point basket gave the Drovers their first lead of the game.
Over the next few minutes, the lead changed hands four times before the Drovers took it for good for the remainder of the half at 9:56 left to play.
USAO held the Eagles from regaining the lead over the remainder of the period. With 3:12 till halftime, however, the Eagles tied things up at 37-37, but the Drovers responded with nine unanswered points to create a gap just before the period's end.
A last minute three pointer from the Drovers left USAO at a 49-39 lead as the players headed to the locker room.
During the second period, the Eagles struggled to find their game. Right off the bat, the Cavaliers jumped to a 15-point advantage that the Eagles never recovered from.
With 8:12 left in regulation, the Eagles dropped the gap to just two points for the Drovers, but USAO responded in similar fashion and pushed the lead back up to eight points just minutes later.
The Eagles continued to take every chance they got to make up the difference, but the USAO men held strong and continued to leave a margin between them and the Eagles.
In the last minute of play, the Eagles trailed by six points until Crocker sunk a three to close the gap to just three points with 33 seconds left on the clock.
The OC men gave every last effort for the win, but the Drovers' high accuracy from the free throw line kept the Eagles at bay as USAO recorded the 92-86 victory.
Will Reinke again led the Eagles for the evening with a 19-point game including seven rebounds and four assists. Devan White made big strides as well for the Eagles as he tallied another 16 points for the game and grabbed seven rebounds and made five assists.
Crocker totaled out 15 points for the game and had four assists while Kendre Talley put up an additional 10 points and recorded three assists in the process.
With the loss, the Eagles fall to 14-10 for the season and carry an 8-9 record in conference play. The OC men will join the women on Saturday back at home as they host Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) in the Eagles' Nest. The women's game is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the men's scheduled to follow after at 8 p.m.
-OC-
