Men Roar Back, Beat Harding
January 14, 2012
Southwestern Oklahoma State University puts five players in double figures as they make easy work of visiting Harding in a 85-67 victory
Ryan Donahoe leads the fast break for SWOSU.
WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University found the missing magic that had left them during a disappointing three-game losing skid and came out and blistered Harding, 85-67, Saturday in a men’s basketball game.
The Bulldogs showed much of the early-season form they displayed in roaring to wins in eight of its first nine games. SWOSU had five players reach double figures and made better than 56% of its shots from the field, including 10 from three-point range.
SWOSU now at 9-4 overall and 1-3 in GAC play will next play Thursday at Arkansas Monticello. Harding, which entered unbeaten in their first two league games, falls to 9-4 overall and 2-1 in league play.
Thomas Davis led SWOSU with 19 points and Chase Elliottt was next with 14 points. Three other SWOSU players – Marin Zelalija, Kenyan Borders and Ryan Donahoe – reached double figure scoring. Zelalija scored 12 followed by Borders with 11 and Donahoe with 10.
SWOSU held a slim one-point margin at the break leading 40-39. The Bulldogs then took control with a 19-5 surge over the first five minutes of the second half. The run was ended by a three-pointer by
Borders and an emphatic dunk by Thomas that gave SWOSU a 59-44 lead with 14:21 to play.
The Bulldogs were not done. Zelalija hit consecutive three-pointers and Zack Howe knocked down a long one of his own to give SWOSU a 76-56 lead with 7:02 to play.
Harding was led by Zach Roddenbery with 23 points. The Bison never got closer than 16 the remainder of the way.
