Box Score
WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Nov. 21) -- David Thomas and Lance Harper made clutch plays down the stretch in both regulation and overtime to propel No. 7-ranked Central Oklahoma past Science and Arts of Oklahoma 80-76 here Friday on the opening day of the Southwestern Oklahoma Athletic Association Classic.
Harper scored UCO's last four points in regulation -- including two tying free throws with 23.8 seconds remaining -- and added four more in the extra session, while Thomas had six overtime points as the Bronchos survived USAO's upset bid.
“USAO's got a good team and we knew this would be a tough game,” said UCO coach Terry Evans of the Drovers, who beat Lone Star Conference rival Southeastern Oklahoma in their season opener. “We had to battle for everything we got, but we did a good job running our offense in overtime and we got some big rebounds.”
The Bronchos were outrebounded 42-38, but pulled down four crucial boards in the overtime period to improve to 3-0. UCO returns Saturday to face St. Gregory's at 4 p.m.
Harper finished with a career-high 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the field and a 7-of-9 effort from the line while adding seven rebounds and three assists. Thomas ended with 22 points, four assists and three steals and hit all eight of his free throw attempts.
UCO also got 13 points, six rebounds and three steals from Michael Sosanya and 10 points, five boards and four assists from Tyler Phillips.
The Bronchos led 34-26 at halftime and expanded that to a 10-point bulge (49-39) with 13:12 left in regulation on a Sosanya layup before USAO used a barrage of 3-pointers to come back and take a 64-62 lead at the 3:26 mark.
UCO tied it on a Phillips layup at 3:13 and went ahead 66-64 with 2:04 left when Harper laid it in off a terrific Thomas pass. USAO went back on top 67-66 on a 3-pointer with 50 seconds remaining and Allen Harris made one of two free throws at 0:34 to give the Drovers a 68-66 lead.
Harper was fouled going to the basket with 23.8 seconds left to play and nailed both foul shots to tie it, then made sure the game went into overtime when he pulled down a Harris miss with two seconds left.
A Harper layup and two Thomas free throws put UCO in front 72-68 early in the extra session and Thomas followed two USAO free throws with a short baseline jumper to make it 74-70.
The Drovers rallied with five straight points for a 75-74 lead with just 1:35 remaining, but Harper put UCO in front to stay with a layup off an Eric Cazenave pass at 1:16. Harper then rebounded a Drover miss and fed Phillips for a layup at 0:49 that made it 78-75.
USAO got one Harris free throw with 5.8 seconds left to get within 78-76, but couldn't force a turnover on the inbounds play and Thomas made two clinching free throws with 4.8 ticks remaining.
UCO jumped out to a 9-2 lead barely three minutes into the contest, but missed eight of its next nine shots as the Drovers used a 10-2 run to get within 12-11 and it was tied 16-16 midway through the half.
The Bronchos responded with 12 unanswered points in surging on top 28-16, getting three apiece from Harper, Sosanya and Chance Hardaker, and it was a 34-26 cushion at intermission.
