BETHANY, Okla. — Coming off the toughest loss of the conference season, No. 12 Southern Nazarene bounced back in a big way with a 90-64 win over Science and Arts.
Five players scored in double figures for the Crimson Storm (18-4, 11-3 SAC) as Xavier Alexander led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the year. The senior guard went 6-for-9 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line. He also had five assists.
Four of the five in double figures were in the starting five, including Jeremy Lightfoot who notched his first double-double of the year with 14 points and 11 rebounds. C.J. Henry scored 15 points while A.J. Thomas and Jon West each added 10 points and four assists. Horace McGloster almost put all five starters in double figures as he had eight points.
SNU lit up the nets in the second half, shooting 61.5 percent (16-26) from the field and 50 percent (4-8) from 3-point range. The Storm shot 51.7 percent for the game and were 7-for-18 from downtown. Southern Nazarene also went 23-for-31 from the charity stripe.
The Storm doubled up the Drovers (8-12, 4-10 SAC) on the boards, 50-25, and outscored USAO 38-16 in the paint. SNU's bench also more than doubled up USAOs with 27 points compared to just 13 from the Drovers.
The Crimson Storm trailed late in the second half, 28-26, before a Henry trey sparked an 11-2 run as SNU jumped out to a 37-30 lead. The Drovers though closed the half on an 8-2 run to make it a 39-38 game heading into the second half.
SNU came out gunning though in the second half. The Storm jumped out to a 49-40 lead, but the Drovers cut it to six twice before Southern Nazarene began to put the game away by scoring eight straight to lead 65-51 with 9:21 left.
The Storm led 72-61 with 6:14 left and put the game on ice by closing it out with an 18-3 run. Henry hit a pair of treys in the run.
SNU will now host Wayland Baptist, Thursday, for an 8 p.m. contest.
