Drover Rally Falls Short

DURANT – With only 46 seconds remaining, Avery Stevenson hit his sixth 3-pointer cutting what was once a 20-point deficit to just six points. The next two 3-pointers by Stevenson and Thomas Woods were off the mark as No. 19 Southeastern Oklahoma wrapped up an 84-74 win at Bloomer Sullivan Gym on Wednesday night.

The Drovers continually chipped away at SOSU’s big first-half lead thanks to 17 second-half points from Woods and 15 second-half points from Stevenson. Woods finished with a game- and career-high 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting. The transfer from NCAA Division I-AA Southeastern University also posted a game- and career-high 11 rebounds.

Stevenson had his first 20-point game of the year with a season-high 21 points. Six of his seven field goals came from behind the 3-point line. His six 3-pointers ranks as his second best shooting performance. Last year Stevenson drained seven 3-pointers against St. Gregory’s.

Delane Finley finished with 12 points and five rebounds after keeping the Drovers in the game with 10 first-half points.

USAO (1-7, 1-0) jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but SOSU’s 16 points in a four minute stretch helped the home team regain the lead with 12:46 in the first half. SOSU’s lead continued to build until a bucket by Woods with 38 seconds left in the half cut the home lead to 46-28.

Stevenson and Woods started the second half with four 3-pointers and a 3-point play to cut into the lead. Woods scored five straight points with under three minutes remaining to pull the Drovers to within seven points. After, a SOSU bucket, Stevenson’s final 3-pointer with 46 seconds left brought USAO as close as they would get to its second straight win.

SOSU (8-1) is the last NCAA Division II team the Drovers will play this season. The team looks forward to league play and staying in first place in the Sooner Athletic Conference. USAO hosts Oklahoma Baptist on Jan. 4 and St. Gregory’s on Jan. 6.

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