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UCO Tames Lions

Spencer Smith
Box Score

EDMOND (March 2) – A trio of seniors playing their final regular season home game used free throw accuracy to combine for 43 points and lead Central Oklahoma to a 76-65 triumph over Missouri Southern Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Field House.
 
Smith had 16 points, Jamell Cormer 15 and June Carter 12 while hitting 25-of-28 free throws as the Bronchos overcame an eight-point first-half deficit to avenge an 85-77 road loss to the Lions six days ago.
 
UCO ended the regular season 13-13 overall and 11-7 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.  The Bronchos will be the No. 6 seed for the MIAA Post-season Tournament and will host Southwest Baptist Monday at 7 p.m. in a first-round game.

A win in that contest would send UCO to Kansas City, Mo. for the final three rounds of the tournament.
 
“We got off to a bad start, but didn't panic and came out with a nice win,” UCO coach Terry Evans said.  “A lot of guys contributed and it was good to end with a win so we can go into the tournament with some momentum.”
 
Josh Gibbs scored a team-high 17 points for the Bronchos while adding eight rebounds.  Smith tied a single-game school record for free throw accuracy (10+ attempts) by making all 12 foul shots in his 16-point outing, with Cormier going 11-of-14 from the line and Carter 2-of-2.
 
MSSU hit its first three 3-point attempts in jumping out to a quick 9-2 lead and the Lions were up 18-10 at the 12:08 mark.
 
The Bronchos answered back with eight straight points in a two-minute span to tie it, getting five from Gibbs and a three-point play from Smith to tie it.
 
The Lions led 27-26 with 5:03 remaining, but Carter made his two free throws at 3:37 to put UCO in front to stay and the Bronchos took a 34-30 lead into the break.
 
Carter had four points, Smith two free throws and Gibbs a fast-beak layup off a Cormier feed as UCO opened the second half with an 8-0 run to take a 12-point advantage at 42-30 and the lead peaked at 14 (49-35) on a Gibbs layup at the 14:35 mark.
 
MSSU got within six (55-49) at 8:45, but the Bronchos quickly regained a double digit lead and then relied on its free throw accuracy to stay safely in front the rest of the way.
 
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