Skip To Main Content

University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Cornell Neal
UCO Photo Services
Cornell Neal
73
Central Oklahoma UCOMEN 5-6, 1-4 MIAA
92
Winner Northeastern State NSU 2-7, 1-4 MIAA
Central Oklahoma UCOMEN
5-6, 1-4 MIAA
73
Final
92
Northeastern State NSU
2-7, 1-4 MIAA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Central Oklahoma UCOMEN 36 37 73
Northeastern State NSU 34 58 92

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Bronchos Lose At NSU

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (Dec. 19) – Central Oklahoma couldn't keep up with hot-shooting Northeastern State in the second half and the road-weary Bronchos dropped a 92-73 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association decision here Saturday afternoon.
 
UCO led 36-34 at halftime, but the RiverHawks made seven 3-point bombs in the final 20 minutes to surge in front and then pull away down the stretch.  NSU ended up shooting 54.5 percent (30-of-55) for the game, including a sizzling 56.5 percent (13-of-23) from beyond the arc.
 
It was the fifth loss in six games for the Bronchos, who were playing their fifth straight road game.  UCO fell to 5-6 overall and 1-4 in the conference, while the RiverHawks improved to 2-7 and 1-4.
 
"We obviously didn't do a very good job defensively and let them get a lot of clean looks from outside," head coach Tom Hankins said.  "We need a break and it will be good to have some time off."
 
UCO, which doesn't play again until going to Northwest Missouri Jan. 2, made only 7-of-23 long-range shots.
 
Kendahl Amerson led the Bronchos with 20 points, while Cornell Neal added 18 and Seth Heckart 10.
 
UCO never trailed in the first half after Heckart opened the game with a 3-pointer from the top of the key and the Bronchos spurted to a 15-5 lead after eight minutes when Neal capped an 8-0 run with his third straight bucket.
 
The lead peaked at 12 (25-13) with 9:38 remaining when Josh Holliday drilled a 3-pointer from the wing, but NSU used an 18-6 scoring spurt to pull even at 31-all by the two-minute mark.
 
Neal's layup in traffic and Jordan London's corner trey put UCO on top 36-31, with the RiverHawks hitting a last-second 3-pointer to make pull within 36-34 at the break.
 
NSU scored the first three points of the second half to take its first lead at 37-36 and it see-sawed back-and-forth for the next six minutes, with the Bronchos going ahead 57-55 on two Neal free throws with 12:49 left to play.
 
That would be the last lead for the Bronchos, who didn't score on eight straight possessions.  UCO had three turnovers and missed six shots – including three on one possession – and a free throw during that decisive stretch as the RiverHawks took command with 15 unanswered points.
 
That put NSU on top 70-57 with 8:00 remaining and the Bronchos never got closer than seven the rest of the way as the hot-shooting RiverHawks made five straight shots during one span in closing out the game.
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad
Skip Sponsors