Game Statistics
EMPORIA, Kan. (Nov. 23) -- Blake Livingston and Keith Marks combined for 13 points in a game-deciding 15-6 run midway through the second half that sparked No. 17-ranked Central Oklahoma to a 76-73 triumph over Emporia State here Monday night.
Livingston scored seven of his career-high 18 points and Marks had all six of his points during the five-minute span that saw the Bronchos turn a 56-55 deficit into a 70-62 lead, with UCO pushing the lead to 10 (74-64) before holding on down the stretch.
"Blake and Keith came up big for us tonight," head coach Terry Evans said. "They gave us a lift when the game was on the line and made some huge buckets to let us get out of here with a good win."
The Bronchos ended a two-game losing streak in beating the Hornets for the second time in a week and evening their record at 2-2. UCO survived a 116-114 double-overtime thriller in last week's meeting in Edmond as ESU made 18-of-23 3-pointers.
Livingston, UCO's tallest player at 6-foot-8, came off the bench to hit all seven of his field goal tries and was 4-of-5 from the line in his 18-point outing while adding five rebounds. Marks was 2-of-3 from the field and 2-of-3 from the line, with all his makes coming during the crucial stretch.
The Bronchos also got four 3-pointers and 15 points from Eric Cazenave, 13 points and nine assists from Dauntae Williams and 12 points from Shane Carroll.
UCO trailed by as many as eight points in the first half before coming back to take a 46-43 lead at intermission and it was a 56-55 ESU lead when Livingston and Marks took over.
Livingston converted a three-point play at 13:10 to put the Bronchos in front to stay 58-56, then fed Marks for a layup that made it 60-56. Livingston added a layup off a Marks assist and a slam dunk on a pass from Chris Rhymes, while Marks had a short jumper and two free throws before Tyler Phillips finished the run with a layup that upped UCO's lead to 70-62.
Williams had back-to-back layups in pushing the advantage to 74-64 at the 5:00 mark and that 10-point lead was enough to stave off the Hornets down the stretch.
ESU led most of the first half and was up by eight (32-24) with 7:06 left, but Cazenave scored nine points the rest of the way as UCO rallied to take its 46-43 halftime advantage.
The Bronchos return to action next Monday, hosting Science and Arts of Oklahoma at 7 p.m.
