Tweet #theGAC  BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Oklahoma Baptist ended Southern Nazarene’s reign atop the Great American Conference as the fourth-seeded Bison defeated the two-time champion Crimson Storm, 77-61, in Saturday’s opening GAC Men’s Basketball Championship semifinal from the Bruin Fieldhouse.
 
The Bison (22-8) scored the game’s first 13 points and never trailed to hand the Crimson Storm (24-8) their second-worst loss of the season. Oklahoma Baptist extended the first-half lead to as wide as 24. The Bison shot 59.4 percent from the floor. Conversely, Southern Nazarene went just 6-of-26 from the field.
 
The lead grew to 28 points early in the second half. The Bison defense frustrated the Crimson Storm’s All-GAC duo of Jhonathan Dunn and Micah Speight. They combined to shoot just 12-of-33 from the field and 5-for-16 from the 3-point arc.
 
Oklahoma Baptist’s inside tandem of Dishon Lowery and Harrison Stoddart allowed the Bison to dominate the Crimson Storm in the paint by a 38-22 margin. They went 13-for-16 and scored 32 points. Both recorded double-doubles as Stoddart grabbed 11 rebounds and Lowery pulled down 10. Oklahoma Baptist outrebounded the Crimson Storm, 40-30.
 
The Bison victory also ended the 10-game win streak by top seeds at the Men’s Championships. Prior to Southern Nazarene’s seven-game run, East Central won the title from the No. 1 position in 2017. The last loss by a number one seed came in 2016 when Ouachita defeated Harding, 72-56, in the title game.
 
Oklahoma Baptist will take on Henderson State at 1:00 PM on Sunday. The Bison notched a one-point home win against the Reddies after losing in Arkadelphia. Rashad Lewis won the game against Henderson State with a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer. The Bison and Reddies entered the week rated eight and ninth, respectively, in the NCAA Central Region rankings.