SPRINGFIELD, Mass – Augusta State rallied from deficits throughout both the last five minutes of regulation and in the first overtime session to upend Central Oklahoma 106-104 in double overtime in the opening round of the Elite Eight at the MassMutual Center on Friday.
It marked the first double overtime game in the Elite Eight since 1982 when Florida Southern defeated Kentucky Wesleyan 90-89 in a semifinal encounter.
The game ended with senior star Sam Belt on the floor, who tripped — or was knocked down — while trying to get upcourt after rebounding a missed ASU free throw with 4.5 seconds left and the Bronchos down by the final two-point margin.
“I probably should have passed the ball,” said Belt, the All-American who ended his career as UCO’s second-leading all-time scorer. “Normally I don’t trip over my own feet when I’m dribbling, but there was no call and there’s nothing you can do about that.”
The Jaguars outscored the Bronchos 16-6 during the last 4:53 to force the first overtime, and rallied from a six point, 91-85, deficit with 3:07 left in the first overtime to punch another five minutes on the clock.
Augusta State (26-6), which turned the ball over only three times during the last 30 minutes after committing nine giveaways in the first half, never looked back at that juncture as senior forward AJ Bowman knocked down a trey at the onset of the second overtime to afford the Jaguars the lead for good. Belt hit a runner to bring the Bronchos (28-6) to within a bucket with three seconds left, but Augusta State was able to inbound the ball and run out the clock.
“Perseverance won the game. It’s a shame someone had to lose. It was an ESPN Classic game,” said Augusta State head coach Dip Metress.
Senior guard Demetrius Howard buried three, 3-pointers, including a pair 30 seconds apart in the final 1:17, to lead the Jaguar’s comeback in regulation; while junior center Garret Siler converted a traditional three-point play at the 2:44 mark and then went 1-for-2 from the stripe with 21 seconds remaining to spearhead Augusta State’s rally in the first extra period.
Siler scored 19 of his 31 points, which ties his career-high, after halftime to pace the Jaguars. Bowman tossed in 22 points and hauled in rebounds; while Howard and sophomore forward Ben Madgen finished with 21 and 18 points respectively. Madgen also pulled down eight boards, while junior Steve Smith handed out six assists without committing a turnover.
“The game started out physical and we weren’t able to do some of the things we wanted to do with their big fella,” UCO coach Terry Evans said. “He was able to get in the low post and we couldn’t push him out. He dominated us inside and opened things up for them outside.”
Belt recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds to go with four assists to lead Central Oklahoma. Senior guard Brian Walker finished with 23 points, via 13-for-14 shooting from the foul line, in 38 minutes off the bench. Sophomore guard Eric Cazenave had 14 points in 35 minutes of reserve duty, while senior guard John Neal and junior forward Lance Harper added 13 points apiece.
UCO appeared to be in control with a 14-point, 66-52, lead midway through the second period. However, Augusta State scored 11 of the game’s next 12 points to get to within four, 67-63, and then held the Bronchos to four field goals throughout the last seven minutes of regulation to keep its national championship aspirations alive.
“It was a tough game between two really good basketball teams. We missed a lot of wide-open shots, but we made enough to win the game. My compliant is we didn’t do enough defensively,” Evans said.
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Bronchos lose in double OT
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Blake Shelton brings relief concert to Oklahoma City
Blake Shelton has organized and will headline the telethon “Healing in the Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert” on May 29, to take place at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Grammy Award-winning artists Miranda Lambert, Reba and Vince Gill also will perform. Additional guests for the concert will be announced shortly.
The concert will be televised live at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. It also will air on cable networks Style, G4, Bravo, E! and CMT on either a live or delayed basis. -
OCU’s Wright playing for Moore
Drew Wright’s heart will be with her hometown of Moore when her Oklahoma City University softball team competes in the NAIA Championships this week. Edmond Santa Fe graduate Kayley Humann, an OCU outfielder, is one of Wright’s teammates.
Wright and the fourth-ranked Stars (50-13) opened national-tournament play against fifth-ranked Cal State San Marcos Friday at South Commons Softball Complex.
The senior third baseman said it was difficult to leave Oklahoma City on Tuesday after a destructive tornado leveled several city blocks of Moore and south Oklahoma City on Monday.
Fortunately, Wright’s family is safe from the tornado that has been hailed as the most severe to hit the area. -
Bronchos win 2 straight at NCAA Division II World Series
Kaylee Brunson and Kacie Edwards keyed an 11-hit attack that carried Central Oklahoma to a 7-1 romp over Molloy in the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship Finals in Salem, VA. Friday afternoon at the Moyer Sports Complex.
Brunson and Edwards had three hits apiece and both drove in runs during a big five-run, sixth-inning outburst that turned a precarious 2-0 lead into a comfortable 7-0 cushion as UCO coasted into Sunday’s winner’s bracket finals. -
Area camps start May 28
Girls hoop camp kicks off Tuesday
The three head varsity girls basketball coaches (Dandy Peeler, Edmond Memorial; Karlie Free, Edmond North; Paul Bass, Edmond Santa Fe) of Edmond Schools will be hosting a youth basketball camp for girls entering kindergarten-ninth grades at Edmond Memorial High School May 28-31.
The younger kids, entering grades kindergarten-4th, will run from 9 a.m.-noon. The camp will focus on basic fundamentals of the game including shooting, passing, ball handling as well as defensive and offensive skills.
Girls entering grades 5-9 will be in the afternoon camp from 1-4 p.m. The camp will focus on offensive and defensive fundamental skills along with sharpening individual skills through station work and competitive contests.
Cost is $115. Contact Dandy Peeler at 250-4377 for more information. -
Still time to register for UCO's Endeavor Games
Registration is open online for athletes and volunteers for the 2013 University of Central Oklahoma Endeavor Games, June 6-9, the nation’s largest multi-sport event for athletes with physical disabilities.
Athletes of all ages or sporting experience are invited to register for the event. Community members are also encouraged to register to volunteer with more than 300 volunteer opportunities available.
Similar to the summer Paralympic Games, athletes may register for multiple adaptive sports, which include cycling, indoor archery, outdoor archery, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, shooting, table tennis, track and field, wheelchair basketball, and, for the first time at the UCO Endeavor Games, paratriathlon. The paratriathlon will be limited to athletes over the age of 16 with previous paratriathlon experience. -
UCO opens World Series with a victory
Kalynn Schrock dominated in the pitching circle and Kaylee Brunson came through with a tie-breaking triple to lift Central Oklahoma past fourth-ranked Armstrong Atlantic 5-2 in Salem, Va. Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship Finals.
It was the sixth straight postseason win for the No. 19-ranked Bronchos, who improved to 48-11 and moved into today’s 3 p.m. semifinal game against either defending national champion Valdosta State or Malloy.
Schrock gave up just two hits and no walks while striking out 15 — including 10 of the final 12 batters she faced — in improving to 31-6 on the season and 6-0 in the postseason. -
Edmond Santa Fe's Taylor heading to Central Florida
Danielle Taylor, fresh off a Central District Youth Rowing Championship victory on the Oklahoma River at the start of the month, followed up the success by signing a letter of intent in rowing with Central Florida at Edmond Santa Fe High School.
Though Santa Fe does not offer rowing as a team sport, Taylor competes for OKC Riversport on the Junior Crew which competes on the Oklahoma River.
Taylor missed her junior season due to an injury, but Coach Brian Ebke knew the Santa Fe athlete would be raring to go her senior season.
“She’s an extremely hard worker,” Ebke lauded. “Her work ethic is impeccable.” -
Bronchos hit final match play spot in first round
Dillon Rust got off to a blazing start and ended up shooting a one-under-par 70 to lead Central Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships in Hershey, Pa. Tuesday.
Rust birdied four of his first five holes en route to his under-par round and the Bronchos ended up with a 300 on the day, giving them a 36-hole total of 597. The 300 leaves UCO eighth in the 20-team field heading into final round of stroke play, with the top eight teams advancing to match play that will determine the national champion. -
Area players earn All-State honors on the diamond
Three area baseball players were selected to the All-State Team this week.
Right-handed pitcher Holden Lyons from Edmond North, made the team after posting a perfect 7-0 mark with an ultra-low 1.29 earned run average.
Deer Creek’s Cole Lindley made it as an outfielder and Oklahoma Christian’s Austin Brooks landed on the list in the designated hitter’s spot.
The threesome will compete on the Large West squad on July 30 at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. -
Tennis camps offered in Edmond
Edmond Raquet Club is offering a pair of tennis camps beginning May 28.
For ages 5-8, a camp is offered from 8:45-9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and for ages 7-15 a tennis camp is available from 6-6:55 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both camps run from May 28-June 13 and cost is $99 per camp.
A camp session for ages 8-16 will run on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30-9:25 a.m. May 29-June 12 for the identical cost.
For more information concerning these camps and others, call 341-4241. - More Sports Headlines
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Blake Shelton brings relief concert to Oklahoma City
