First Half Run Downs Drovers

CHICKASHA – A five-minute scoring drought in the first half proved to be too much to make up as the Drover men fell to No. 24 Oklahoma Christian 75-58 Thursday night a the USAO Fieldhouse.

A rebound and put-back by DeAngelo Alexander just a minute into the game was about the most success the Drovers had all night inside the lane. Five missed layups in the first half and a huge OC front line led by 6-foot-11, 235-pound John Nottley kept USAO offense at bay. OC outscored USAO 30-18 in the paint and 23-7 on second chance points.

OC started the game on a 16-4 run in large part because of USAO’s field goal percentage, which hovered in the teens for most of the first half. USAO finished the first half shooting 21.9 percent and behind 45-23.

The Drovers outscored OC 35-30 in the second half behind three 3-pointers and a team-high 16 points from Duncan native Adam Shoffit. Avery Stevenson and DeAngleo Alexander finished the game with 12 and 11 points, respectively as USAO fell to 2-11 overall and 2-4 in the SAC. OC improved to 9-5 overall and 3-1 in league play.

Next up for the Drovers is No. 2 Oklahoma City Saturday night on the road, and USAO will be without leading scorer Thomas Woods. Thursday’s game with OC was stopped for nearly 20 minutes after Woods ran into a pick and went to the floor. The junior from New Orleans, La., was able to get to his feet but collapsed before he could get off the court.

He was treated for a concussion and released from the hospital late Thursday after tests came back negative for more serious trauma.

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