Storm Wins Opener of GAC/MIAA Challenge

DURANT, Okla. – Anton Cook led a trio of double-digit scorers as Southeastern shot 47.5 percent from the floor and earned an 88-80 season-opening win over Northeastern State in the GAC/MIAA Challenge in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
The win moves them to 1-0 heading into Saturday's 7:30 p.m. meeting with Central Oklahoma who won its opener earlier in the night 74-71 in overtime over Northwestern Oklahoma State.
 
Cook was impressive with 22 points thanks to his ability to get to the line where he was 12-of-14.  He also approached triple-double numbers, adding a game-high eight assists and chipping in seven rebounds.
 
Tyler Lonzie added 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and registered a double-double with 11 rebounds.
 
Nathan Jackson was right behind with 13 points and nearly earned a double-double as well with eight rebounds.
 
Sami Bzai and John Bootz each added nine points, with Stelios Papafloratos chipping in eight and Joseph Aikens adding seven.
 
Cook opened the game with a layup in transition and SE would lead almost the entire first half escept for a 2:14 long segment that featured two tie scores and the Storm trailing by two points before another Cook jumper put Southeastern back in front.
 
The Storm would finish strong, outscoring the RiverHawks 22-13 over the final half of the first half, with Jackson capping the half with a putback layup just before the horn to make the SE lead 44-33 at halftime.
 
NSU rallied and kept the game within a pair of buckets for much of the second half, eventually taking a 67-66 lead with 6:56 to play.
 
A Jackson free throw regained the lead and a Lonzie dunk spurred the offense as they would push their lead back out to seven points by the 3:46 mark on a Lonzie free throw.
 
The game never got closer than five points over the remaining time and the Storm walked away with an 88-80 win.