BOX SCORE || BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Taylor Smith hit a turnaround jump shot with 42 seconds to go to give sixth-seeded Henderson State a lead it would not relinquish as the Reddies won their first postseason game in seven years, a 65-61 decision against third-seeded Arkansas-Monticello in the Great American Conference Basketball Championship quarterfinals on Thursday from Bruin Fieldhouse.
After ending the first half tied at 34, the Reddies (13-16) fell behind early the second half by seven points. The deficit grew as large as nine at 51-42 before the Reddies started their comeback. They went on an 18-7 run to take their first second-half lead at 60-58. Following two UAM free throws, Smith canned his jump shot from just outside the lane. After a Boll Weevil free throw, Kevin Kozan made a baseline jump shot after the Reddies successfully broke the Boll Weevil press.
With 15 points Deoirvay Johnson led the Reddies in their first postseason win since beating Barry at the NCAA Regional on March 10, 2007. Reggie Murphy added 14 points and seven rebounds. In three games against UAM (19-10), Murphy averaged 16.0 points and 7.7 rebounds.
First-Team All-GAC forward Brandon Wilson, the league’s second-leading scorer at 18.1 points per game, scored only four for the Boll Weevils as he fouled out in just nine minutes of action.
Brandon Sims and Sharif Hudson picked up in the offensive slack for UAM. Sims, who scored a total of eight points in the two regular-season meetings with the Reddies, totaled 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting. Hudson made only 2-of-11 shots against HSU in the regular season. He went 6-for-9 from the field in scoring a game-high 17 points.
The Reddies advance to face the winner of the Southwestern Oklahoma State-Southern Arkansas game in Saturday’s first semifinal, set for Noon. CT. The Reddies won both regular-season contests against the Mulriders, but dropped two tight decisions to the second-seeded Bulldogs. All GAC Championship games stream live at
GACSportsNetwork.com.