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University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

The Official Site of Central Oklahoma University Athletics Central Oklahoma Athletics
Corey Alpough
Corey Alpough
74
Central Oklahoma UCOMBB 14-8, 9-5
80
Winner Nebraska-Kearney UNKMBB 16-7, 9-5
Central Oklahoma UCOMBB
14-8, 9-5
74
Final
80
Nebraska-Kearney UNKMBB
16-7, 9-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Central Oklahoma UCOMBB 37 37 74
Nebraska-Kearney UNKMBB 40 40 80

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Late Turnovers Cost UCO Against Lopers

KEARNEY, Neb. (Feb. 9) – Three turnovers in the final minute led to Central Oklahoma's demise here Thursday night as the Bronchos fell to Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association rival Nebraska-Kearney 80-74.
 
UCO led 74-73 with less than a minute remaining before committing a shot-clock violation and the Lopers went ahead 76-73 on a 3-pointer with 37.2 seconds left.  Marquis Johnson appeared to tie the game with a driving layup at 0:28, but the Bronchos had called time-out during his move and the basket was waved off.
 
Central was whistled for a traveling violation with 14.6 seconds left and UNK made two free throws at 11.8 to push the lead to 78-74.  Another turnover followed with 7.2 seconds to play and the Lopers added two more foul shots to arrange the final score.
 
"We just didn't make the plays we needed to at the end of the game," said head coach Tom Hankins, whose team fell to 14-8 on the season and 9-5 in the league.  "It's a disappointing loss, especially after the way we battled back to get the lead in the second half.  We sent then to the free throw line too much in the final seven or eight minutes and they made us pay for that."
 
The Bronchos overcame a 10-point first-half deficit to lead by as many as seven in the second half only to see UNK rally down the stretch.  The Lopers made 14-of-16 free throws in the final 7:43 as one UCO player fouled out and three others ended the game with four fouls.
 
Corey Alpough led the Bronchos with a career-high 20 points and seven rebounds.  Corbin Byford and Jordan London added 12 points apiece, with London also contributing six rebounds and six assists.
 
UCO trailed 40-37 at halftime and was down 49-43 early in the final half before rallying to take its first lead since the opening minutes at 50-49 on Edwards' layup at the 13:54 mark that capped a 7-0 run.
 
The Bronchos pushed their advantage to seven (65-58) with 7:10 left on Johnson's steal and ensuing layup, but UNK went on a 12-4 run – scoring seven of those points at the line – to move in front 70-69 with 3:46 remaining.
 
Josh Holliday put UCO back on top 71-70 with two foul shots at 3:21 and the lead was 74-73 on London's deep 3-pointer from the wing with 1:53 left.  But that would be the final points the Bronchos would score.
 
Johnson then drew a charge to get the ball back, but the shot-clock violation followed soon after to signify the start of UCO's last-minute turnover troubles.
 
Alpough and Byford combined for 26 of UCO's 37 first-half points.  Alpough had 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, while Byford made 5-of-6 shots in scoring 11 points.
 
UCO led only once in the early going -- at 5-4 after a London 3-pointer -- and trailed by six-to-eight points most of the opening half before falling into a 10-point hole at 40-30 with 2:24 remaining.
 
The Bronchos reeled off seven unanswered points to get close by the break.
 
Johnson started the run with a jumper at the 1:58 mark and then Alpough scored the final five points.  The 6-foot-5 senior hit a close-range shot at 1:37 to make it 40-34 and then ended the half with a three-point play, laying in a follow shot while being fouled and adding the free throw.
 
UCO stays on the road for another conference tilt Saturday, moving on to Hays, Kan. for a 3:30 p.m. contest against Fort Hays State.
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