Men Work Overtime Win

November 29, 2007

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Southwestern Oklahoma State University waited until the last possible minute before catching fire, forcing overtime and escaping with a 78-71 victory against Midwestern State University Thursday in Wichita Falls, Texas.

SWOSU, the No. 18 ranked team in NCAA Division II, improved to 6-0 on the year and will continue its road trek at Lone Star Conference South Division favorite Tarleton State University on Saturday.

Nate Perry had 23 points and eight rebounds and help ignite a late-game charge as the Bulldogs overcome a nine-point deficit in the last six minutes of regulation. Perry’s basket completed an 8-0 run that allowed SWOSU to close to within 59-58 with 2:52 to play.

MSU answered to go up 61-58 before SWOSU’s Trevor Guy tied it with a three-point basket of his own with 1:57 to go.

The game ended regulation tied at 63-63 after Perry scored inside with 51 seconds left and MSU’s Chris Davis made a pair of free throws with 35 seconds to play.

SWOSU took its new-found momentum and pulled away in the overtime outscoring the Mustangs 15-8. MSU did not score a basket from the field in the game’s final 2:14 and were forced to foul and send SWOSU to the free throw line.

Guy followed Perry in scoring with 16 points. Clarke Hale also added 16, most of which came from the free throw line where he sunk nine-in-a-row before missing his 10th shot.

The Bulldogs made just 38% (26-of-69) shots but forced the Mustangs into 20 turnovers while committing just 12 of their own. SWOSU outscored MSU 19-10 on points off of turnovers.