UCO Rallies Past Lions

1/12/2013 6:06:00 PM

Cal Andrews

Box Score

ST. CHARLES, Mo. (Jan. 12) – Cal Andrews hit a 3-pointer with 37 seconds left to give Central Oklahoma the lead and the Bronchos hung on to clip Lindenwood 78-75 here Saturday afternoon.

It was the third straight Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association victory for UCO, which improved to 6-8 on the year and 4-2 in league play. The Lions dropped to 9-4 and 2-4.

The Bronchos used the long ball to overcome an eight-point deficit early in the second half and did it again late in the game to rally from five points down in the final two minutes.

Andrews had the biggest, with the freshman's trey at 0:37 putting UCO on top 76-74. LU made one of two free throws at 0:25 before Seth Heckart drained two foul shots with 21 seconds left to make it a three-point margin at 78-75.

The Lions missed two 3-point shots in the final 10 seconds, with Heckart rebounding the second to clinch the win.

“We got down a few times, but did a great job battling back and came out with a big road win,” UCO coach Terry Evans said. “We hit a lot of big shots in the second half and made some clutch free throws as well.”

Josh Gibbs led the Bronchos with 22 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 3-of-5 long-range shots. Heckart was 5-of-8 from beyond the arc in a 17-point outing while adding six rebounds, Spencer Smith finished with 11 points and Andrews ended with nine.

LU sprinted out to a quick 7-0 lead to open the game before UCO rebounded behind a pair of Smith layups in a 10-3 run that tied it and the Bronchos went ahead 20-16 on Gibbs' layup midway through the half.

It was tied at 27-all with 3:27 left before the Lions ended with a 10-4 run to take a 37-31 lead into the break.

The deficit grew to eight (43-35) four minutes into the second half, but a quick-strike 12-0 spurt got the Bronchos back in it. Heckart started the run with back-to-back 3-pointers, Andrews followed with another trey and Gibbs converted a conventional three-point play to give UCO a 47-43 lead.

Central's advantage reached nine (56-47) with 10:23 remaining before LU used a 14-3 run to regain the lead at 61-58. It was a 70-65 deficit when the Bronchos started their final comeback.

Jamell Cormier's two free throws at 2:10 make it 70-67 and Heckart followed a Lindenwood turnover with another 3-pointer that tied it at the 1:43 mark. Smith answered a Lion three-point play with one of his own to keep the teams deadlocked at 73-all with 1:07 left.

LU made one of two free throws to go on top 74-73 at 0:47, but Andrews answered with the go-ahead trey and the Bronchos held on.

UCO returns home to host Northeastern State at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

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