SE Forces OT But Falls Shy at Challenge

EDMOND, Okla. – Tyler Lonzie dropped 20 points and Southeastern forced overtime, but was unable to knock off host Central Oklahoma on its home court on Sunday night in a 71-68 loss in the GAC/MIAA Challenge in Edmond, Okla.

The loss drops the Savage Storm to 1-1 on the season with the next action lasted for Nov. 17 as they enter Great American Conference play against Arkansas-Monticello at 7:30 p.m. in Monticello, Ark.

Anton Cook would hit a pair of free throws with five seconds to play in regulation to knot the game at 62-62.

UCO would go ahead in overtime and hold a 70-65 lead with 30 seconds left when Cook would drain a three in his first field goal made of the contest to close it to a one possession game.

The Bronchos got a 1-for-2 effort at the free throw line to keep it a one possession game, but a shot at the buzzer to send the game to another OT was off the mark and SE fell 71-68.

Lonzie finished the game with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while Jose Libanio was next in line with 15 points.

Cook and Kevin Buckingham finished with nine points apiece.

The Storm finished the night shooting 42.1 percent to edge out the 40.3 put up by UCO.

Jett Jobe handed out four assists, accounting for half of the team's eight helpers.

Lonzie led the way on the boards with eight with Libanio right on his heels with seven as the Storm held a 40-to-33 edge on the glass.

SE finished the game with 40 points scored in the paint and 12 off the fast break.

The Bronchos took an early lead, pushing it to as many as 14 points at 22-8 with 8:51 to go in the first half.

The Storm then outscored the home team 24-9 over the next eight minute to take a 32-31 lead on a Cook free throw with 27 seconds to go, but UCO would get a pair of free throws to take the lead at 33-32 at the break.

The Bronchos would maintain that lead in the second half until a Lonzie bucket with 10:00 to play woulf knot the contest at 45-45 and two possessions later a Jobe three off a James Donelan pass would put SE ahead 48-45.

The lead would be as large as six points, but a 6-0 run by UCO between 5:13 and 3:11 would leave the game tied at 56-56.

SE would regain the lead until a Jordan London three would fall with 12 seconds to play to put the Bronchos back in front 62-62.

However, a UCO foul with five seconds to play would send Cook to the line where he hit both freebies to send the game to overtime.