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DROVERS DROP TWO ON THE ROAD SHAWNEE – Saturday was a day that could have been for the two teams from the University of Science and Arts. The Drover women looked to break a three-game slid while the men were poised to knock off a top-10 team for the second time in three games and jump near the top of the conference standings. Neither happened as the women fell on the road to Oklahoma Baptist 93-57 and the men suffered an 85-67 setback. With a win over No. 5 OBU, the Drover men had a chance to jump into the national top-25. And with an early lead and the home crowd stunned, the upset bid looked promising. Answering the bell, though, OBU put together a six-minute stretch of play that neared perfection. Already leading 34-27, OBU closed the first half on a 15-3 run. The Bison’s Jason Bray hit four three-pointers in the closing minutes of the first half while teammate Frank Benson posted 19 first-half points to help OBU to a 49-30 halftime advantage. Bray and Benson only scored nine more points in the second half, but the Drovers were unable to make up the halftime deficit. Jose Nava led USAO with 15 points and 10 rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting. Avery Stevenson scored 11 points but only hit 3-of-13 from the floor only a game after hitting seven threes against St. Gregory’s. The loss drops the Drovers to 8-9 on the season and 4-3 in the Sooner Athletic Conference. In the women’s game, four USAO players scored in double figures led by Katie Sterling and Lindsey Monroe’s 15 points. Stephanie Russell scored 14 points including three three-pointers and Nikki Yager added 10 points, but No. 21 OBU shot better than 50 percent from everywhere to jump out to a lead and coast to a big win. Other than Sterling, Monroe, Russell and Yager, only Christina Brown managed to score for the Drovers as she finished with three points on 1-of-8 shooting. The Bison were an outstanding 53.8 percent from the floor including 12 three-pointers. USAO falls to 9-7 overall and 2-5 in the SAC. Both teams return home for a Thursday doubleheader against John Brown beginning at 6 p.m. ### |