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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Jake Hammond
Jake Hammond
86
Winner Rogers State RSU 4-2
81
Central Oklahoma UCO 3-1
Winner
Rogers State RSU
4-2
86
Final
81
Central Oklahoma UCO
3-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Rogers State RSU 40 46 86
Central Oklahoma UCO 37 44 81

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

UCO Rally Falls Short

EDMOND (Nov. 26) – A four-minute dry spell put Central Oklahoma in a hole it couldn't dig out of and a late rally fell short as the Bronchos dropped an 86-81 decision to intrastate rival Rogers State Saturday afternoon at Hamilton Field House.
 
UCO went 0-of-4 from the field and committed three turnovers during a 12-0 RSU run early in the second half, with the Hillcats turning a narrow three-point lead into a big 15-point cushion (60-45) with 13:03 left to play.
 
The Bronchos rallied to within three at 84-81 in the final seconds, but couldn't complete the frenzied comeback in losing their first game of the season after a 3-0 start.
 
"We played pretty well in spurts, but weren't very consistent," head coach Tom Hankins said.  "We made too many mistakes early in the second half in getting down and just couldn't make up for it."
 
Freshman sensation Marquis Johnson led UCO with 24 points and four assists, hitting 8-of-10 shots from the field and 7-of-10 free throws.  Jake Hammond had season highs for points (16) and rebounds (nine), while Corbin Byford added 12 points and five boards.
 
Jordan London, who entered the game averaging a team-high 15.3 points a game, managed just three shots and five points against an aggressive RSU defense.
 
The first half went back-and-forth with nine ties and five lead changes.  It was deadlocked 35-all after two Johnson four shots with 1:54 left, but the Hillcats went ahead for good with a 3-pointer 30 seconds later and was up 40-37 at the break.
 
The deficit was still three at 48-45 following a Byford layup at the 16:27 mark and that's when UCO went cold.  The Bronchos didn't score again until Johnson went coast-to-coast for a layup in traffic at 12:47 to make it 60-47.
 
RSU still had a 13-point lead (73-60) with 6:41 left to play when UCO started its late rally.
 
Josh Holliday nailed a pair of 3-pointers, Johnson had another driving layup in traffic and London hit two free throws during a 13-5 spurt that pulled the Bronchos within 78-73 at 2:49. 
 
It was a three-point game at 84-81 when Byford made a layup off a Johnson pass with 18 seconds left, but UCO couldn't come up with a steal and RSU hit two charity tosses at 0:16 to clinch the win.
 
The Bronchos continue a four-game homestand and open Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play Wednesday, hosting No. 3-ranked Northwest Missouri at 7:30 p.m.
 
 
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