Skip To Main Content

University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Philip Brown
74
Winner Central Oklahoma UCO 16-9, 9-7 MIAA
69
Emporia State ESU 11-14, 4-12 MIAA
Winner
Central Oklahoma UCO
16-9, 9-7 MIAA
74
Final
69
Emporia State ESU
11-14, 4-12 MIAA
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Central Oklahoma UCO 34 40 74
Emporia State ESU 31 38 69

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Brown Fuels UCO

Box Score

EMPORIA, Kan. (Feb. 14) – Philip Brown scored 15 of his season-high 23 points in the second half to spark Central Oklahoma to a 74-69 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association victory over Emporia State here Saturday afternoon.
 
The Bronchos led by 11 points with 3:59 left to play and then had to hold on down the stretch, getting clutch free throws from Jarred Bairstow and Seth Heckart in staving off the Hornets for the much-needed road win.
 
"We played pretty well for the most part, but made some mistakes at the end that let them back in it," head coach Terry Evans said.  "Philip did a great job inside for us and we were very efficient with our offense."
 
Brown dominated the paint, making 9-of-11 shots with a variety of short turnaround jumpers and layups while also going 5-of-5 from the line.  The senior also had three rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot.
 
Cal Andrews was the only other player in double figures with 13 points, while Trai Jordan had nine points and five rebounds as the Bronchos improved to 16-9 on the season and 9-7 in the league.
 
UCO shot 56.1 percent (23-of-41) from the field and 80.6 percent (25-of-31) from the line, recording assists on 15 of its 23 field goals.
 
The Bronchos led 34-31 at intermission and Brown had six quick points as that became a 42-36 edge early in the second half before ESU hit two straight treys to tie it at 42.
 
The Bronchos went ahead to stay on a Reggie Sloan layup that ignited an 11-0 run to put UCO ahead 53-42.  Brown had five of those points on an emphatic slam dunk, free throw and layup, with Seth Heckart feeding the big man on both buckets.
 
Andrews answered an ESU 3-pointer with one of his own from the corner to keep the lead at 11 (56-45) and it was a 12-point cushion at 64-52 following Mahlon Jones' fast-break layup with 5:42 remaining.
 
The Bronchos still appeared in control after Brown's 12-foot jumper made it 68-57 at the 3:59 mark, but UCO had three turnovers and missed two foul shots as the Hornets scored eight straight points to get within 68-65 at 1:11.
 
Two Andrews free throws made it 70-65 with 44.5 seconds left before ESU hit another 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 70-68 at 0:32.  Heckart canned two clutch charity tosses with 30.6 seconds remaining to push the lead back to four at 72-68 and the Hornets made one free throw at 0:16.
 
UCO missed two free throws with 11.5 ticks remaining to give the Hornets one last chance, but ESU missed and Bairstow was fouled pulling down the rebound with 1.9 seconds left and swished both freebies to arrange the final margin.
 
ESU hit three 3-pointers in the first five minutes in jumping out to a quick 14-5 lead, with the Bronchos coming back with 13 unanswered points.
 
Darrius Bryson and Jordan both had conventional three-point plays during that run and Brown scored four straight points as UCO moved in front 18-14 midway through the half.
 
Two Jordan free throws had the Bronchos on top 26-18 with 5:58 left and it was 28-20 after Sloan's layup off a nice Jordan feed.
 
The Hornets got back in it with an 11-3 run to pull even at 31-all, but Andrews drilled a corner trey with 29 seconds left to send UCO into the locker room with a 34-31 lead.
 
The Bronchos don't play again until going to Northeastern State next Saturday afternoon.
Print Friendly Version
Skip Ad
Skip Sponsors