Back On Track

11/19/2011 10:24:00 PM

Shane Carroll

Box Score

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Nov. 19) – Tyler Phillips scored 18 of his game-high 26 points in the first half and No. 11-ranked Central Oklahoma built a big second-half lead before holding on down the stretch to down Cameron 91-81 on the second day of the Tarleton Tip-off Classic here Saturday.

Phillips had six 3-pointers in the opening 20 minutes to help stake the Bronchos to a 45-35 lead and UCO stretched that to a huge 28-point advantage (76-48) midway through the second half before the Aggies mounted an impressive rally.

Cameron went on a 30-7 run to pull within five at 83-78 with 1:03 remaining, but the Bronchos made six clutch free throws the rest of the way and capped their 19th straight win over the Aggies on Brent Friday's fast-break dunk in the final seconds.

UCO ended a two-game losing streak and improved to 3-2 win the win while handing CU its first loss of the season. The Bronchos go back on the road Tuesday, traveling to Pittsburg, Kan. to take on Pittsburg State.

“It was a big game for us after having lost the last two and we came out really focused tonight,” head coach Terry Evans said. “We played really well for the first 30 minutes and then kind of relaxed and let them back in the game, but we did what we had to do to finish it off and got a good win.”

Phillips finished 7-of-11 from long-range in his 26-point outing while adding nine rebounds and two assists while playing 37 minutes and was named to the all-tournament team. Friday finished with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists, with Shane Carroll adding 17 points.

The Bronchos trailed only once, at 3-0 in the opening minute on a three-point play by Cameron's Thomas Razor.

UCO answered back emphatically, reeling off 11 unanswered points. Phillips started that run with his first 3-pointer, Friday put the Bronchos in the lead to stay with a three-point play, Carroll made a pair of free throws and Phillips ended it with another try to make it 11-3 at the 17:30 mark.

The lead reached double digits at 19-7 with 14:29 left on Josh Davis' layup and UCO went on to take a 10-point lead into the break.

The Bronchos steadily added to that lead in the first 10 minutes of the second half and it reached the 28-point cushion on Ronald Norfleet's dunk with 10:39 remaining.

It was still an 18-point lead at 79-61 following a Carroll 3-pointer at the 6:43 mark, but CU scored 17 of the next 21 points to get within 83-78 at 1:03.

Carroll made two free throws with 53 seconds left and Tucker Phillips followed an Aggie miss with two more foul shots at 0:38 to make it 87-78. Cameron hit a 3-pointer at 0:32, but Carroll answered with two more charity tosses at 0:25 for an 89-81 lead and Friday's dunk capped the win.

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