Shooting Woes Hamper UCO In Loss To Stars

11/17/2012 4:55:00 PM

Josh Gibbs

Box Score

EDMOND (Nov. 17) – Poor shooting -- particularly from long distance and the free throw line -- proved costly for Central Oklahoma Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Field House as the Bronchos dropped a frustrating 68-66 decision to Oklahoma City.

UCO made only 6-of-25 tries (24.0 percent) from 3-point range, shooting a mere 7.1 percent (1-of-14) in the opening 20 minutes. The Bronchos weren't much better from the charity stripe, making 10-of-21 (47.6 percent) for the game and nailing just 4-of-13 (30.8 percent) in the second half.

Coach Terry Evans' troops nearly overcame their game-long shooting woes at the end, but Spencer Smith's game-winning 3-point try from 25 feet bounced off the front rim as the buzzer sounded to drop the Bronchos to 1-1 with just the seventh home loss in the last 72 games.

“We just didn't shoot the ball well, there's no way around it,” Evans said. “We got good looks and didn't knock our shots down and that carried over to the free throw line.”

UCO, which beat the Stars 81-77 in an exhibition game at OCU on Nov. 8, trailed 35-29 at halftime and were down as many as eight in the second half before rallying.

The Bronchos pulled away for the first time since midway through the opening half with 8:41 remaining when Seth Heckart drilled a 3-pointer from the wing and the game went back-and-forth the rest of the way.

Another Heckart trey had UCO on top 59-57 with 3:22 left, but the Stars came back with seven unanswered points for a 64-59 lead at the 1:16 mark.

It was still a five-point deficit (66-61) with 47 seconds to play, but Jamell Cormier hit one of two foul shots at 0:42 and Josh Gibbs followed two OCU missed free throws with a long 3-pointer at 0:21 to draw the Bronchos within one at 66-65.

The Stars made one free throw at 0:19 and June Carter hit one at 0:11 for the Bronchos to keep it a one-point game before UCO fouled Charlton Jones with six seconds left after it was unable to force a turnover.

Jones made the first charity toss and then missed the next, with Smith gathering in the rebound. The senior forward got the ball back on the other end and tossed up a shot that was on target but just short as the final horn sounded.

Heckart led the Bronchos, hitting 5-of-8 shots with three treys in a 15-point outing. Gibbs added 13 points, six assists and six rebounds, Carter had 13 points and three blocked shots and Smith ended with 10 points and nine rebounds.

UCO ends a three-game homestand Tuesday when it hosts Mid-America Christian at 7 p.m.

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