From OBU Sports Information
Oklahoma City – Fifth-ranked Oklahoma Baptist missed all four free throws in the final 13 seconds but held on for a 72-69 road win in Sooner Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday.
OBU got double-figure scoring from three players, double-digit rebounds from two four assists apiece from two.
“Everyone has to contribute,” said OBU Coach Doug Tolin. “That’s what this team is going to have to be. We don’t have the firepower to rely on one or two people. We have to be running on all cylinders.”
The Bison trailed 56-48 with 9:38 left in the game, but Clinton Houston converted a three-point play, Marques Anderson scored of an offensive rebound and Houston got another second-chance basket to make it a 56-55 game with 7:03 to play.
Chase Adams hit a three-pointer to tie the game and then another to give OBU its first lead, 63-60, in 12 minutes with 5:28 to go.
Adams had been struggling at the three-point arc coming into the game, but hit four of nine from three-point range. He also had 10 rebounds.
“It felt good just to see the ball going in,” Adams said. “I’ve never had 10 rebounds before but I was just crashing the boards. I’m proud of how all of us played today.”
Kendall Parks hit two free throws at the 1:39 mark to boost the lead to 70-63.
Neither team hit a field goal in the last two minutes, but with 24 seconds left, OCU trimmed the lead to 72-69.
OBU missed two free throws with 13 seconds left, but Anderson rebounded the second miss and the Bison got two more chances. OBU missed twice more and David Johnson nearly came up with another offensive rebound for the Bison but lost the ball out of bounds with four seconds left.
OCU’s Charlton Jones stumbled on his way up the court and launched a three-pointer that was far off target.
“Kendall Parks did a great job on him tonight,” Tolin said. “We were going to foul as he crossed half court, but Kendall recognized Jones was in trouble and backed off.”
The Bison got 18 points from Adams, 15 from Houston and 14 from Johnson. Johnson and Parks had four assists each.
OBU out-rebounded the Stars 41-34, including 20 offensive rebounds. Adams and Anderson had 10 caroms each. Adams also blocked two shots and had two steals. Johnson led the team with three steals.
With the win, the Bison improve to 16-4 overall and 4-2 in the SAC heading into an 8 p.m. tip Tuesday at USAO.
Ray Fink is the Sports Information Director at Oklahoma Baptist University.