EDMOND, Okla. (1-23-16) – The Mules had late leads in regulation and overtime, but couldn't close it out and fell 90-86 in double overtime at Central Oklahoma on Saturday afternoon. With the loss, the Mules fall to 12-6 overall and 6-6 in MIAA play.
The Mules (12-5, 6-5 MIAA) scored the first points of the game on a
Tereke Eckwood jumper, but the Bronchos (9-9, 5-7 MIAA) responded with a 6-0 run to grab the lead. A layup from Eckwood cut the lead to two, but an 8-0 run gave UCO a 14-4 lead just over five minutes in to the game.
The Mules pulled to within four at 16-12 halfway through the opening period, but again the Bronchos answered with a run. A 9-2 spurt made it 25-14 with 6:11 left in the first half.
A
Jakob Lowrance layup started a 7-0 run for UCM that ended with a
Kyle Wolf three-pointer. When it was done UCM trailed 25-21 with 3:54 to play. UCO answered with a three from Seth Heckart to push the lead back to seven, but Wolf was fouled while making a three and converted the four-point play to make it 28-25 with 1:56 left in the half. The Bronchos closed the half with four of the final five points and led 32-26 at the break.
UCO pushed the lead to eight out of the intermission, but the Mules kept it close.
Garrett Sandbothe's jumper at the 17:16 mark cut the UCO lead to 36-33, but five quick points from the Bronchos made it 41-33.
UCM roared back with a 10-0 run with six points from
D'Marnier Cunningham and four from
Marquiez Lawrence, to regain the lead at 43-41. The Bronchos buried a three to regain the lead, but
Tony Cochran answered with one of his own and UCM led 46-44 with 9:20 to play in the game.
UCO went back in front with a 7-0 run that gave them a 51-46 lead with 6:37 to play in regulation. Cunningham scored four straight fast break points to pull UCM within one, but the Bronchos answered right back with a layup from Corey Alpough to go up 53-50.
The Mules came right back to take a 55-54 lead on a Cunningham three. The game was tied two more times before Cunningham made two of three free throws to put UCM in front 58-56.
Spencer Reaves then made one of two at the line to give the Mules a three-point lead. A UCO jumper was followed by two Cunningham free throws to make it 61-58 with :16 left. The first UCO three-pointer was off the mark, but the Bronchos got an offensive board and Garen Wright hit a three with 2.8 to play to force overtime.
In the first OT the Mules grabbed a four-point lead at 67-63 on layups from
Marquiez Lawrence and Cunningham, but back-to-back turnovers by UCM allowed the Bronchos to tie the game at 67. The game was tied at 69-all with 25 seconds to play when
Brett O'Neil buried a three as the shot clock was winding down.
The Bronchos scored a quick two on their next possession and the Mules were fouled with :06 to play. Cunningham made one of two free throws to give UCM a 73-71 lead, but Cornell Neal drove the length of the floor for a game-tying layup as the buzzer sounded to force a second overtime.
UCO scored eight of the first 11 points in the second OT to grab an 81-76 lead with 1:28 to play. The lead went to seven on a pair of free throws, but Reaves drained a three to make it 83-79. Following two more foul shots Reaves hit another triple and it was 85-82 with :30 to play.
The lead was 87-84 with :16 to play, but Reaves' three was short and UCO snagged the rebound. Two foul shots gave UCO a five point advantage. Cunningham went coast-to-coast for a layup to pull UCM within three, but Neal made one of two free throws to ice the game for the Bronchos.
Cunningham led all scorers with 33 points to go along with four assists and four steals. Lawrence finished with 13 points and nine rebounds and O'Neil had 11.
UCM was 29-of-63 from the field for 46 percent, but made just 8-of-27 three pointers for 29 percent. The Mules were 20-of-28 at the free throw line for 71 percent.
Neal led UCO with 26 points and seven steals. Wright and Jarred Bairstow each had 16 in the game. UCO was 28-of-63 for 44 percent, 9-of-27 from beyond the arc for 33 percent and 25-of-36 at the foul line for 69 percent.
