Box Score BETHANY, Okla. — Southern Nazarene came into Thursday night's game needing a big win in a big way after losing three straight. SNU got just what it needed in an 86-82 win over Henderson State in overtime.
 
An Adam Bohac team has never lost four games in a row and moved to 9-10 overall and 7-6 in the Great American Conference.
 
"There were several plays tonight where we had several different people step up and make good plays," said Bohac. "Those plays just happened when we needed them whether it was a key rebound to making the correct pass against their zone. The energy level tonight was good. It was a great team win."
 
CJ Smith scored a career-high 39 points, the second most in a single game in school history. The senior was 10-for-15 from the field, 3-for-6 from 3-point range and 16-for-17 from the free-throw line. He also had five assists and five rebounds. Quan Conner had 14 of his 21 points in the second half and added eight points, five assists and four steals.
 
"It was CJ's best game tonight, not because of the points, but because he made the correct play nearly every time," said Bohac. "He set up a bunch of other guys and picked his spots well and tied it together until Quan got going. Quan picked a great time to break out of a bit of a slump and we needed every one of his buckets."
 
Anton Kankaanpaa tied his career high with eight points and four rebounds. The freshman played a career-high 36 minutes and went 4-for-7 from the field. Antwone Jackson totaled eight points as well to go with five rebounds and a pair of blocks.
 
"Anton really deserves a lot of accolades tonight," said Bohac. "I coach him really hard and he really tied things together for us. I just see so much in him and I think he can really help us and be a really good basketball player. He took some steps towards maturation tonight."
 
The Crimson Storm shot 43.9 percent from the field and hit nine 3-pointers. SNU hot 81.8 percent from the line, the fourth highest percentage of the season, going 27-for-33. Southern Nazarene pulled down 10 of its 31 rebounds off the offensive glass, scoring 12 points.
 
Neither team led by more than six the entire night as they exchanged 21 leads and tied 14 times. The Reddies (10-12, 6-8 GAC) held their biggest lead of six twice in the first half with the second coming at 38-32 with 1:58 to play in the half. HSU took a 38-34 lead into the break and then matched their six-point lead twice more in the second half.
 
The Storm didn't retake the lead until the 11:36 mark on a Conner trey to give SNU a 54-53 lead. The Reddies answered with a layup, but Smith nailed a 3-pointers to put the Storm up 57-55 with 9:17 to play. Henderson retook the lead at the 7:38 mark before Conner got bookend treys in an 8-1 run. The Storm took their biggest lead of the game at 69-64 with 2:58 to play, but the Reddies answered with six straight to lead 70-69 with 53 seconds to play.
 
Conner then buried a trey with 31 seconds left to put SNU up 72-70 before Henderson tied with 19 seconds remaining. SNU had a chance to win it in regulation, but Smith had the ball stripped and HSU's Melvin Haynes missed a buzzer beater to put the game into overtime.
 
The Storm controlled overtime early, holding a three-point lead twice. SNU led 79-76 with 2:32 left when Henderson got back-to-back treys to take an 82-79 lead. SNU answered a Smith lay in and then got a stop before Jackson hit a free throw to tie it at 82 with 33 seconds left.
 
Smith picked up a steal and then hit two free throws to lead 84-82 before hitting two more free throws to ice it.
 
The Crimson Storm now get set to host Ouachita Baptist, Saturday, for a 4 p.m. GAC contest.