March 5, 2010
3.4.10 - Bethany, Okla.- The Evangels gave Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament host Southern Nazarene University a scare on Thursday evening, trailing by one point (64-63) after Charlie Shorter hit a crucial three-pointer with 34 seconds to play. The second seeded Crimson Storm held on with crucial free throw shooting in the final seconds, eliminating the seventh seeded Evangels with the 69-65 win at the Sawyer Center.
Brandon Williams and Charlie Shorter led the Evangels, each scoring 17 points. George Haynes added ten points while posting his second straight double-double, grabbing 16 rebounds.
The Crimson Storm came out strong from the start, leading by as many as 14 in the first 10 minutes of the game. MACU scored seven unanswered points to get back in the game, trailing 24-17 with 9:01 to go before intermission. SNU had a 10 -point lead (32-22) with 5:17 to play in the half. The Evangels used an 11-0 run capped off with back-to-back three-pointers by Williams and Shorter to take a 33-32 lead with 1:53 reaming.
The Storm took a three-point lead (36-33) with a layup and two made free throws but Donell Lewis hit a three-pointer to knot the score at 36-36 going into the locker room at the break.
The Evangels opened the second half out-scoring SNU 12-2, taking a 48-38 advantage with 14:47 remaining in the game.
The Evangels went the next seven minutes without scoring a bucket, allowing the Storm to use a 15-0 run to take 53-48 lead.
Williams broke the Evangels drought with a three-pointer to make it a two-point game (53-51) with 7:30 to play.
MACU never regained the lead but kept SNU for leading by more than five.
With 23 seconds remaining, down by two points, MACU had position of the ball but the Storm forced a turnover and the Evangels had to foul.
A.J. Thomas hit both of his free throws with 16 seconds to play.
Williams was able to hit a layup but with five second remaining, they had to foul, bringing Thomas back to the line.
Thomas sunk both of his free throw shots for the win.
MACU out-rebounded the Storm 46-40.
Xavier Alexander led the Storm with 21 points while Thomas added 12 and Jeremy Lightfoot 10.
No. 5 SNU improves to 25-6 and advances to the semifinal, taking on the sixth seed Rogers State University at 8 p.m. RSU upset the third seed, Oklahoma City University, 68-57.
MACU ends their NAIA season 16-5 and will compete in the NCCAA Central Region Tournament March 11-13.
