Box Score BETHANY, Okla. — Ryan Aaron was just two points off a career-high with 30 for No. 15 Southern Nazarene in an 80-74 loss to No. 6 Rogers State.
 
The Crimson Storm (17-7, 10-6 SAC) dug a hole in the second half and nearly climbed out of it in the second half, but the Hillcats (18-4, 11-4 SAC) had just enough room to score the win.
 
Roger State led by as much as 18 in the first half after RSU went on a 15-2 run on a 3-minute span in the first half. The Hillcats led 38-20 before taking a 41-26 lead at the half. Rogers again had an 18-point lead in the second half, but the Storm began to chip away little by little.
 
The Hillcats led 58-43 with 11:30 left to play when an Aaron Jones 3-pointer sparked an 8-2 run as SNU cut it to 60-51. Adrian Hunter then got to seven when he knocked down two RSU players to grab an offensive board and put back to make it a 62-55 game. Jones then hit another trey with 4:48 left to make it 64-58 before RSU stopped the bleeding for a moment with five straight points to lead 69-58.
 
RSU led 72-61 when Jon West sparked a 9-3 run to make it 75-72 with 35 seconds left. Aaron also had a late layup with 23 seconds left to cut it to 77-74, but that was as close as SNU came.
 
The loss marks the first time all year that SNU has dropped back-to-back games.
 
Roger State shot 44.8 percent (26-for-58) from the field and were 42.1 percent (8-for-19) from 3-point range. SNU was held to 38.5 percent from the floor and 25 percent from beyond the arc.
 
The Storm turned the ball over just 13 times and gave up just eight points off of turnovers. SNU on the other hand got 23 points off of 18 Rogers State turnovers. The Storm bench also out scored Rogers' 43-23. The Hillcats dominated the boards pulling down 45 rebounds compared to SNU's 36.
 
Jones and West both finished with 13 points as West added six points and three assists. Daniel White also chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.
 
Southern Nazarene will now get set to travel to Oklahoma Baptist for what could be the last time in a long time as the two collide, Thursday, at 6 p.m.