Bulldogs Hang on Against NSU

January 28, 2007

Nate Perry

WEATHERFORD – Southwestern Oklahoma State University escaped after watching a double digit lead evaporate to almost nothing in the final two minutes before emerging with a 69-67 victory over Northeastern State University in Weatherford Saturday.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak and improved the Bulldogs record to 14-4 overall and 2-2 in the Lone Star Conference North Division. NSU fell to 6-12 and 1-3.

Clarke Hale and Abdulah Lawal each connected on a pair of free throws in the game’s final 20 seconds to help the Bulldogs stay ahead of the surging Redmen. Hale looked to have put the game out of reach when he knocked down a three-pointer to give SWOSU a 62-52 lead with 2:12 remaining.

The Redmen came back behind a flurry of three pointers and managed to trim the lead to one when NSU’s Mike Bontrager knocked down a running 30-footer to make it 68-67 with three seconds to play. The Bulldogs inbounded the ball to Hale who was fouled. He made one of two free throws with one second left to provide the game’s final margin.

Clarke Hale

Nate Perry had 14 points to lead SWOSU in scoring who won despite scoring nearly 20 points below their season average as a team. The Bulldogs had never won a game, losing all four times when they failed to score 80 or more points. Ryan Mann added 10 points off the bench for the Bulldogs to complete the double figure scorers.

Bontrager led NSU with 17 points and was a salty five-of-eight from three-point distance.

SWOSU won despite shooting just 41% from the field on 26-of-63 shots. The Bulldogs also had trouble from the free throw line making just 10-of-17 shots, including missing five in a row that let the Redmen back into the game. SWOSU pressured the normally sure-handed Redmen into 17 turnovers which gave the Bulldogs an 18-10 point advantage in that category.

SWOSU will next play Monday in Lawton against Cameron University. Tipoff is at 8 p.m.

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