Second Half Run Lifts Storm to Win at SWOSU

WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Southeastern opened the second half on a 19-2 run on its way to a 75-62 victory on Wednesday night over Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, Okla.
 
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 7-9 overall and 3-7 in Great American Conference play heading into a four-day break before facing Southern Nazarene on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Bloomer Sullivan Arena.
 
Anton Cook turned in a game-high 22 points to pace the offense, hitting four threes on the night, while Kevin Buckingham checked in with 12 points and Jett Jobe added 10.
 
Kyle Roberts chipped in eight points and Kyle Roberts had seven, while Nathan Jackson led the way with four assists.
 
Tyler Lonzie and James Donelan owned the boards on the night with 12 and 11, respectively, to lead the Storm to a 48-to-27 edge in rebounding.
 
That rebounding margin helped SE to a 13-0 edge in second chance points thanks to a 17-to-5 advantage in offensive rebounds, while the Storm also held a 9-2 lead in points off turnovers.
 
Southeastern also found comfort at the free throw line where they hit 20-of-25 attempts, over half of which came in the two minutes as SWOSU fouled to force free throws in an attempt to rally.
 
The teams traded buckets to open the game, but both Bulldog buckets were threes giving them an early lead which they would not relinquish until the 3:44 mark of the half when Gianpalo Riccio connected on a three form a Roberts pass to take a 26-24 lead.
 
They would trade the lead and then knot he game at 30-30 on a pair of Donelan free throws with 1:35 to play, but a SWOSU three with 1:18 remaining would provide the difference at the break as the home team led 33-30.
 
Buckingham would hit a pair of layups to open the second half and the Storm would regain the lead at 34-33 as the start would propel them to a 19-2 run, capped by a Roberts three at the 14:01 mark to open up a 49-35 lead.
 
However, SWOSU would rally and slowly chipped away at the Storm lead, cutting it to one possession with a three at the 5:34 mark at 55-52.
 
But it was Buckingham again, this time with a pair of free throw to make it a two possession gam again and start a 7-1 run which put SE back in front 63-53 after a Bobby Johnson three with 2:38 to play.
 
Southeastern would then finish out the contest with a 13-of-16 effort at the free throw line over the final 1:35 between Buckingham, Cook and Jobe to ice the contest and fashion he 75-62 final score.