2nd-half swoon costs Eagles as UAFS clinches share of title

 

February 23, 2018



FORT SMITH, Ark. (Feb. 22, 2018) – For 20 minutes, it looked like Oklahoma Christian might succeed where no other basketball team had this season, as the Eagles were deadlocked with No. 18-ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith at the Stubblefield Center.

But UAFS, seeking to clinch at least a share of the Heartland Conference title, would not be denied. The Lions seized control early in the second half and pulled away for an 86-73 win over OC, finishing off a season in which they went 16-0 at home.

UAFS (24-4, 12-4 Heartland) could win the league title outright if Newman (Kan.) beats Dallas Baptist (Texas) on Saturday. It's likely OC (10-16, 6-9) will face one of those three teams in the quarterfinals of the Heartland Conference tournament next week in Tulsa.

Before that, OC will visit Rogers State on Saturday in the regular-season finale for both teams.

The loss to UAFS was OC's fifth straight by double digits on the road, but OC coach Cory Cole said he felt like the Eagles competed well against one of NCAA Division II's elite teams, something he hadn't thought after the previous four games in that streak.

"I loved our fight and togetherness," Cole said. "The guys played well for most of the game, minus a big second-half run. We competed and executed better than we had in previous road games. We have a bounce-back opportunity for us Saturday."

OC stunned then-undefeated, No. 4-ranked UAFS 62-58 on Jan. 4, and the Eagles' best chance figured to keep the score low again against a foe that likes to get up and down the court. But the Lions prevented that, outrebounding the Eagles 45-32, shooting 46.7 percent from the field and outscoring OC by 12 at the free-throw line.

The Eagles led by as many as six points and trailed by as many as seven in the first half before settling for a 39-39 draw. Roderick Smith – who posted his sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds – gave OC its final lead seconds into the second half.

UAFS went on an 11-2 run to go up 50-43, and OC never quite recovered. The Eagles were within 61-55 after a basket by Jordan Box with 11:19 left, but the Lions scored the next 12 points and built their lead to as many as 19 points in the final minutes.

Box and Elijah Strickland each scored 16 points to lead OC, combining to go 7 of 15 from 3-point range.

Marcus Wallace hit all nine of his free throws and led the Lions with 20 points. Ladarius Coleman had 19 points and 15 rebounds, DeVaunta Thomas had 16 points and Kyree Elder added 10 points for UAFS.

 

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