Men Take Down NSU in Overtime
December 15, 2011
Southwestern Oklahoma State University improves to 7-1 on the year with a 75-71 victory at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.
SWOSU Coach Charlie Schaef has led the Bulldog to vivctories in seven of the team's first eight games.
AHLEQUAH, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University let a late-game lead slip away only to rally back in overtime to celebrate a hard-fought 75-71 victory over Northeastern State University in a men’s basketball game Thursday in Tahlequah.
The win concluded SWOSU’s first semester of play with a glossy 7-1 record, with six of those wins coming against opponents in the South Central region. The Bulldogs continue to position themselves for what promises to be a splashy debut when the regional rankings are released next month.
Chase Elliott had a season-high 29 points as the Bristow senior played in front of several friends and family who made the short trip to Tahlequah. Elliott was seven-of-13 from the field and 12-of-16 from the line. He made three three-point baskets.
SWOSU had NSU’s measure for much of the game leading 34-28 at the halftime break and then adding to the margin in the second. Elliott gave SWOSU a nine-point lead at 50-41 with a short jumper with 9:21 remaining. The margin stayed at nine for the next three minutes as both Elliott and Ryan Donahoe answered NSU baskets with a pair of their own.
NSU, which fell to 1-10 with the loss, sparked to life at that point scoring nine consecutive points. The RiverHawks tied it at 54-54 when Kevin Arnold canned a short jumper with 4:24 to play.
Both teams traded baskets in the final moments with Arnold sending the game into overtime with a three-pointer that tied at 59 with 37 seconds to play.
In the extra session, both teams answered the other’s score before SWOSU’s Thomas Davis came up with the game’s biggest play. Davis stole a NSU cross court pass and raced to the other end where he made a driving layup while being fouled. Davis calmly swished the free throw and SWOSU was out in front to stay at 71-67 with 1:19 to play.
SWOSU ended the game making 43% of its baskets on 20-of-47 attempts. The Bulldogs were eight-of-23 from three-point range making 35%. The Bulldogs enjoyed a large advantage at the free throw line. SWOSU made 27-of-34 attempts for 79% while the RiverHawks visited the stripe just 23 times, making 18 for 78%.
