From SOSU Sports Information
ADA, Okla. – East Central got a layup from Chris Fisher with seven seconds to play and a last-ditch runner by Steven Kohli Chmissed its mark as Southeastern was upset on Thursday night, 68-67, in Ada, Okla.
The loss drops the Savage Storm to 10-6 on the year overall and 6-4 in Great American Conference play heading into a 4 p.m. meeting with Arkansas Tech on Saturday afternoon inn Russellville, Ark.
SE took a 67-65 lead with 50 seconds left on a Mateus Oliveiradunk, but ECU answered with a free throw and SE led 67-66 with James Harris heading to the free throw line with 19 seconds to play. He would miss the front end of a one-and-one and the Tigers would answer on the other end with Fisher’s bucket with seven seconds on the clock.
The Storm would get a fair look at the buzzer, but a Kohli running jumper from the right side would miss its mark.
Kohli finished with team highs in points and rebounds, dropping 16 on the offensive end while pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds.
Chris Roussell turned in a double-double of his own with 14 points and 10 boards.
Andris Misters chipped in 12 points, while Oliveira finished with 11.
SE held a 45-to-35 edge on the glass for the game.
Travis Timmons picked up the pace of the offense in the second half, finishing the night with seven assists and eight points.
ECU opened the game with a three, but a pair of layup from the post gave the Storm an early 4-3 advantage.
The Tigers would get another three to retake the lead, but after a pair of ties SE would go up 11-8 on an Andris Misters three pointer.
The teams would trade the lead once more before ECU slowly pulled ahead, taking a 28-18 lead with 4:01 remaining in the half.
The Storm would have the last word in the half, however, scoring the final 10 points, including a Roussell three at the buzzer to tie the game at 28-28 at intermission.
SE pushed ahead early in the second half on a Timmons layup and pushed out to an eight point edge at 40-32 on a Roussell layup with 15:26 to play.
ECU would whittle away at the advantage, but SE would push its lead back out to seven points on back-to-back possessions, the last coming at 58-51 with 9:00 to play.
The Tigers then used a 12-0 run to mount a 63-58 lead with 5:25 remaining.
An Oliveira layup and a Kohli three would tie the game and after the teams traded bucket, Oliveira’s dunk with 50 seconds would give SE an edge.
Matt Thomas is the Sports Information Director at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.