SBU MEN'S BASKETBALL - SBU ENDS WINLESS StrEAK VS. NWMSU

SBU ENDS WINLESS StrEAK VS. NWMSU

December 30, 2004

Sophomore Martez Young led all Bearcats with a new career high 23 points and seven three-pointers.

BOLIVAR, MO. … Claiming an 88-81 overtime win against Northwest Missouri State, the Southwest Baptist University Bearcats ended an eight year drought of losses vs. NWMSU. SBU last defeated NWMSU in the 1996-97 season and now has broken a 12-game losing streak to the Bearcats from Maryville.

SBU came away with the win as they went on an 8-1 run in a two-minute time span in the overtime period. After being tied at 75, SBU went on a 12-4 run to pull away for the win. NWMSU’s James Victor cut the lead to two, 79-77, but Martez Young nailed a key three-pointer with 1:32 to go to extend the lead to five. Two Sheldon Pace free throws at the 00:48 mark gave SBU a seven-point lead and after NWMSU cut the lead to five, again, SBU went three-of-four from the free throw line to take an eight-point advantage.

Young canned 23 points as he was seven-for-11 from three-point range. Deon Davis added 18 points and Pace had 11. Chris Schulze led all rebounders with 12. Addae Houston was the leading scorer for NWMSU with 23.

Jumping out to a six-point lead in the first five minutes of the game, 11-5, SBU looked as though they would run away with the game. NWMSU did not allow that as they tied the game at 11 on a Victor jumper. After swapping several baskets and tying the game for a fourth time (15-15), SBU handed NWMSU a 15-6 run for a nine-point advantage, 30-21. Young hit two of his seven three-pointers in that run.

A Deontra Levi three-pointer put SBU by 11, 40-29, with 1:58 to go in the half. NWMSU then cut the lad to eight just before halftime when Sky Wilson drove in the lane for two-points and 00:02 left on the clock.

A quick five points in the first minute of the second half put NWMSU just behind SBU by three. SBU went on a 9-2 run in three minutes for a 10-point lead, 51-41, at the 16:07 mark. Just as it looked like SBU would run away with the game, again, NWMSU found basket again as they added a 15-0 run in six minutes for a five-point lead, 56-51. SBU missed seven shots in six minutes and went 0-2 from the free throw line.

NWMSU was now looking like they were going to control the game and extend their winning streak over SBU. The Bearcats from Bolivar put a stop to that when Cedric Ousley broke SBU’s dry spell with a three-pointer to bring NWMSU’s lead down to two, 56-54. Within a minute and a half, SBU was right back in striking range and then took the lead, 60-58, on a Young three-pointer. The lead changed hands twice in the next two minutes and SBU had a four-point lead, twice, with the final lead at 73-69 with 2:21 left in the game. SBU did not hit a bucket again as NWMSU’s Houston hit two free-throws with 1:25 to go and then Matt Withers tied the game at 73 on a layup with 00:52 left in the game.

SBU had a chance to win the game in regulation but missed a layup with 40 seconds left. NWMSU then ran the clock down for the final shot could not convert as the game was sent into overtime.

NWMSU lost their first overtime game in five years as their last loss was in 1999.

After shooting 42% from three-point range in the first half, SBU finished shooting 35% to end the game. They finished the game outshooting NWMSU from the floor, 46% to 44%. NWMSU did outrebound SBU, 42-38.

SBU will bring in the new year by taking on Emporia State on January 1 in Emporia, Kansas, at 7:30 p.m.