Box Score CHICKASHA, Okla. (Nov. 21, 2017) – Plagued by foul trouble down the stretch, Oklahoma Christian let a late lead slip away, allowing USAO to rally for a 75-70 win on Tuesday night at USAO Fieldhouse.
It was OC's first basketball game at USAO since the 2011-12 season, when the two schools shared membership in the NAIA and Sooner Athletic Conference, but it ended up being an unpleasant return for the Eagles, who now are members of NCAA Division II and the Heartland Conference.
In a game that included wild momentum swings – as evidenced by 14 lead changes and 11 ties – USAO (5-0) seized the lead for the final time at 69-68 on a layup by Greg Smith with 3:35 left. OC (0-4) managed only two points in the final five minutes.
"Hats off to coach (Chris) Francis and USAO," OC coach
Cory Cole said. "They did a good job of scouting us and really locked in in the second half. Our guys had a chance to finish some plays and we didn't. … You've got to make some plays and we didn't do a good job in the second half."
OC still was within 72-70 after a driving layup by
Jordan Box with 1:02 left, but Smith answered with a lay-in for the Drovers with 36 seconds left.
Elijah Strickland missed a 3-point attempt for OC and Julius Foster made 1 of 2 free throws with 14.6 seconds left to give USAO its final winning margin.
Officials called the game tightly, as OC was whistled for 27 fouls, USAO 20. Three OC starters – Box,
Miroslav Jaksic and Strickland – each picked up their fourth foul within a 4½-minute span midway through the second half, and the Eagles struggled to find an offensive rhythm after that.
Two bright spots for OC were freshman
Sebastien Davet and sophomore
Conner Johnson. Davet, who entered the game with 17 points and one assist on the season, had 16 points, four assists and six rebounds and kept the Eagles afloat in the first half. Johnson, seeing the first extended playing time of his career, hit two big 3-pointers and scored a career-high eight points.
"Conner and Sebastien gave us lifts," Cole said. "Conner hadn't practiced a lot this week but played tough and gave us a spark. Sebastien has been coming along. That was another bright spot. This kid can play. That was just the tip of the iceberg. On the road, in this type of environment, it was good to see him step up and make some plays."
OC jumped to an 11-3 lead before the Drovers answered with 13 straight points to go up 16-11. The Eagles led 40-39 at halftime and were up by as many as eight in the second half, taking a 56-48 lead on a three-point play by
Roderick Smith with 13:27 left. OC didn't trail again until Smith's basket at the 3:35 mark.
Strickland added 13 points and Box had 12 for OC, while Smith had nine points and 10 rebounds. Four Drovers scored in double figures – Brandon Scott with 17 points, Hutch Peterson with 13, Foster with 12 and Dedrian Parmer.
Cory Cole discusses the game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUJJ-gPiXw8&feature=youtu.be
