BOX SCORE | ARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Southeastern Oklahoma State became the first No. 8 seed to upset the top ranked team at the Great American Conference Men’s Basketball Championships as the Bulldogs recovered to thwart the comeback bid of Ouachita Baptist and win 71-67, in overtime, on Friday night at Bruin Fieldhouse.
The Bulldogs (16-12) trailed throughout second half, but began to whittle down the lead over the final five minutes. Down seven, Keynan Borders scored 10 of SWOSU’S next 13 points and tied the game at 59 with 26 seconds left on a free throw.
Following a Micah Delph missed 3-point try for OBU (20-6) with six seconds remaining, Martell Collins gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the second half with a pair of free throws. The Tigers’ Colt Fason sent the game into overtime when hit a 19-foot jump shot from the top of the key with two-tenths of the second remaining. Officials originally ruled the basket a 3-point shot, but reversed the call after a replay review.
In the extra session four different Bulldogs scored in the opening two-and-a-half minutes and they built a 68-63 lead. Ouachita Baptist closed to within a point, 68-67, but the Tigers missed on their final three field goal attempts and missed the front end of a 1-of-1 situation. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs made 3-of-4 from the line down the stretch to pull off the upset of the regular-season champions.
Borders and Trent Washington led the way offensively for the Bulldogs with 15 points. A total of players from SWOSU reached double digits. Delph scored a game-high 20 in the defeat. GAC Player of the Year Tirrell Brown scored 17 and Fason added 12.
The Bulldogs advance to Saturday’s second semifinal contest, set for 8:00 PM on GACSportsNetwork.com. Southwestern Oklahoma will face the winner of the Arkansas Tech-Southeastern Oklahoma State. The Bulldogs split with the Savage Storm and lost a pair of 69-65 decisions to the Wonder Boys.