Basketball Teams Lose Heartbreakers to OC

For the second straight time, the USAO basketball teams suffered heartbreaking conference losses. This time, it was at the hands of nationally ranked Oklahoma Christian in the form of an 82-77 overtime loss for the Drover men and a 74-68 setback for the Drover women.

With their five-point loss, the USAO men fall to 4-10 overall and 1-4 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Drover women drop to 6-10 overall and 1-4 in the SAC. This week, USAO embarks on its first conference road trip, with doubleheaders Thursday at John Brown, Ark., and Saturday at Southern Nazarene.

In the men’s game, USAO senior Keith Miller stole an inbounds pass with less than five seconds left, and hit a 15-foot baseline jumper for a 70-68 Drover lead over No. 4 Oklahoma Christian with :00.3 on the clock.

With time still left, several USAO players and fans ran out on the floor, prompting the officials to call a technical foul on the Drover bench. Oklahoma Christian’s Jarred Merrill stepped to the line and hit two free throws to even the score at 70-all and force an overtime period.

Merrill, who is the SAC’s top scorer and rebounder, scored a basket to open overtime, but USAO responded with four straight free throws. The Eagles outscored the Drovers 10-3 the rest of the way to claim the 82-77 win, their first over USAO since both teams joined the SAC. Oklahoma Christian improves to 16-1 overall and 4-1 in the SAC.

Sophomore Avery Stevenson finished with a game-high 27 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Senior Wayne Gibson was the other Drover in double figures with 25 points, and eight rebounds. The pair also added four steals and three assists each. Miller scored six points and a team-high five assists.

Other scorers for USAO included senior Tony Jimmerson with eight points and four rebounds, freshman Kevin Thames with seven points and junior Romeil Perkins with four points and six rebounds.

For the game, USAO hit 34 percent (26-of-76) from the field, 27 percent (8-of-30) from 3-point range and 57 percent (17-of-30) from the free throw line. The Drovers collected 43 rebounds, 17 assists, 15 steals, two blocks and committed nine turnovers.

OC’s Merrill led the Eagles with 23 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Three other Eagles finished in double figures, including Charles Baldwin with 20 points, Brady Page with 15 points and a game-high six assists, and Keith Harris with 11 points and seven rebounds. Micah Miles tied a school record with 10 blocks for the Eagles.

In the women’s game, USAO led 3-2 in the opening minute before falling behind by as many as 10 points in the first half. But, the Drovers outscored the 16^th-ranked Lady Eagles 12-6 in the last five minutes of the half to trail 33-29 at halftime.

USAO took another brief 37-35 lead just two minutes into the second half, but saw it quickly turn into a six-point deficit following an 8-0 run by Oklahoma Christian. With about five minutes left, the Drovers trailed by 10 points but cut the lead to 70-68 in the final minute. The Lady Eagles hit four straight free throws in the last :15 to close out the 74-68 win and improve to 14-4 overall and 4-1 in the SAC.

Three Drovers scored in double figures, led by senior Secrett Stubblefield and junior Katie Sterling with 16 points each. Sterling added a game-high five steals to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Senior Karole Roberts also scored 12 points and three rebounds for USAO.

Senior Christal Merriweather scored nine points, seven rebounds and a team-high five assists. Junior Christina Brown hit two 3-pointers for six points; senior Kayla Lawrence finished with four points and eight rebounds, while junior Nicole Sherman added two points, a team-high nine rebounds and two blocks.

For the game, USAO hit 40 percent (23-of-57) from the field, 31 percent (5-of-16) from 3-point range and 68 percent (17-of-25) from the free throw line. The Drovers collected 41 rebounds, 16 seals, 15 assists, three blocks and committed 23 turnovers.

Oklahoma Christian’s Lauren Decker finished with 16 points and a game-high nine assists to pace the Lady Eagles. Others Lady Eagles in double figures were Rachel Martin and Carlissa Plowden with 11 points each and Tasha Turney with 10 points.