|
|
|
The Tigers of Ouachita Baptist University struggled through an intensely physical game to eventually fall to the Bulldogs of Southwestern Oklahoma State University by a score of 84-92, while the OBU ladies rolled past the Lady Bulldogs, 69-50, in Lone Star Conference North Division games played Saturday afternoon at OBU's Bill Vining Arena in the Roy and Christine Sturgis Physical Education Center.
The loss by the Tigers (6-9, 2-2) moved the team into a tie with Harding University (7-9,2-2) for fourth place in the LSC North. The win by the Lady Tigers (12-3, 2-2) continued their perfect season at the Sturgis Center with eight consecutive season victories. The Lady Tigers are currently in a tie for fourth place in the conference, behind Central Oklahoma (11-5,3-2), Northeastern (OK) State (9-7,3-2), and East Central (OK) University (9-8, 3-2).
Last week, the Lady Tigers were ranked 24th in the nation in the USA Today/Women's Basketball Coaches Association national poll.
The men's game saw 42 fouls whistled, including four technical fouls and a ejection of a Ouachita starting forward.
The Bulldogs held the early lead as the Tigers struggled to get going but eventually found their groove and pulled back to tie the game at 26 after nine minutes.
The game saw its first technical foul issued to Bulldog senior, Corey Johnson of Cerritos, CA after a flagrant comment. Then to spice the game up even more Tiger junior, Mauricio Watson of Panama City, Panama received a technical after shoving junior Chris Beech of Enid, OK. After receiving the foul Watson pursued Beech and threw a left hook and earned another technical and an ejection.
The ejection by referee Eric Baker with nine minutes to play in the first half means that Watson will have to sit out the Tigers' next game with the University of Central Oklahoma on Thursday at the Sturgis Center.
Watson's absence hurt the Tigers, since the junior starting forward had been averaging 12 points a game. He left the floor with only five points. His teammates later went to the dressing room at halftime with a seven point deficit, 47-40.
The Tigers never could regain the lead or pull any closer and fell to an eventual 84-92 loss.
Ouachita was led by freshman Jarris Kentle of Pine Bluff with 18 points on five of 12 from the field and seven of 10 from the foul line. Sophomore Tim Lane of Cleburne, TX put up 17 points and seven rebounds while junior Atif Williams of Tulsa, OK added 16 points for the game. As a team the Tigers shot 26 of 60 from the field including eight of 19 for three points and 24 for 32 from the charity stripe.
The Bulldogs shot a torrid 32 for 50 from the field for 64 percent. The Weatherford visitors canned four of 12 from the three point arc and 24 of 33 from the free throw line. OBU pulled down 33 rebounds to SWOSU's 30.
In the second game of the afternoon, the Lady Tigers came out strong and held the lead throughout the second half, to head to the locker room with a score of 34-21. The lead never appeared threatened as OBU came out even stronger and held as much as a 25 point lead over SWOSU before closing the game ahead 19 points.
Senior guard Jamie Scheppmann of Cove led the Lady Tigers with 18 points on six of 14 from the field and four of four from the free throw line, while grabbing five steals and five rebounds.
As a team the Lady Tigers shot 25 of 53 from the field including four of 14 from the three point arc and 19 of 27 from the foul line. The Lady Bulldogs shot 19 of 55 including three of six for three points and nine of 17 from the charity stripe. SWOSU won the rebounds with 41 to OBU's 34.
The Lady Tigers and Tigers will take on the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos (5-12,1-4) and Lady Bronchos (11-5,3-2) on Thursday, January 27 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively, at Vining Arena. Lady Tiger coach Garry Crowder and Tiger coach Mike Reynolds will guide their teams in yet another LSC North Division home match-up against the Northeastern (OK) State University Redmen and the league-leading Lady Reds on Saturday, January 29. The men's game starts at 2 p.m., followed by the women at approximately 4 p.m.
Box Scores for this game
Ouachita Baptist University• Lady Tigers
