Bulldogs Get Past USAO

November 20, 2007

CHICKASHA, Okla. – Southwestern Oklahoma State University showed some gritty resolve digging in its heels in the toughest spots and emerged as 61-53 winners in a men’s basketball game Tuesday against Oklahoma Science and Arts in Chickahsa.

The win improved the Bulldogs to 3-0 on the season and keeps them unbeaten heading into the Thanksgiving Classic where they will host New Mexico Highlands and Southwest Baptist on back-to-back nights. The loss was USAO’s first in five games.

Trevor Guy had 17 points and Kendall Smith came off the bench and made a pair of important baskets in a critical late-game stretch for the Bulldogs.

Smith scored seven straight points and helped the Bulldogs break from a 48-48 tie with 5:00 to play. Smith sank a three-pointer, swished two free throws and then scored while being fouled underneath the basket to put SWOSU ahead 55-51 with 1:13 to play.

SWOSU made five-of-seven free throws in the last minute and held the Drovers without a basket for the game’s final 2:44.

The Bulldogs had made only five-of-15 (33%) free throws up to that point, including normally reliable Clarke Hale missing all five of his free throw attempts.

SWOSU ended the game shooting 43% making 23-of-54 shots while USAO managed just 39% on 20-of-51 shooting. The Bulldogs outrebounded USAO 39-33 with Guy leading both teams with 12.