Box Score WEATHERFORD, Okla. — To get back into the top half of the Great American Conference standings, Southern Nazarene knew it was going to have to pick up games on the road. SNU got off on the right foot Thursday night with a 67-63 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
The Crimson Storm (10-7, 5-6 GAC) started the second half of the GAC season with a win over a team that took one away from SNU at home earlier in the season.
Quan Conner and
Tyrone Lyons combined for 34 points as each scored 17. Connor had a solid shooting night from the field, going 5-for-11 from the floor and 4-for-4 from the free throw line, including the final two free throws to clinch the game in its final seconds. Lyons shot 60 percent from the field and chipped in six rebounds and two blocks as well.
Brady Burford added 13 points and nine rebounds, three of those coming on the offensive end.
Robert Brewer also provided solid defense as he took three charges.
SNU went to the free throw line nine more times than the Bulldogs going 19-for-29 compared to SWOSU's 15-for-20. The Crimson Storm scored 26 points off of 15 Bulldog turnovers, while Southwestern scored just 15 points off of 16 SNU turnovers.
Southwestern opened the game with a 12-3 run to open up a nine point lead. After a timeout, SNU's defense found the spark they needed, allowing only 10 points over the next nine minutes as the Storm cut it to 22-20 with 8:09 left in the first half. The Storm closed with a 19-8 run to lead 39-30 with 35 seconds left in the half before a last second buzzer-beater by the Bulldogs made it 39-32 at the half.
SNU never trailed in the second half, but SWOSU did tie twice in the final five minutes of play. The first came on on an 8-2 run by SWOSU and the final came on a pair of made free throws to make it 61-61 with 2:42 left. The Storm scored four straight to lead 65-61, but the Bulldogs staued closed with a bucket to make it 65-63 with 57 seconds to play. The Storm missed a pair of free throws late and SWOSU had a chance to take the lead and tie it late, but Connor pulled down the rebound on the second of two misses and calmly sank the two clinching free throws.
Southern Nazarene will look to build on that victory when they host Harding Thursday, for a 7:30 p.m..
