Claremore, Okla. -- The Mid-America Christian Evangels received a game-high 22 points from Brandon Williams, but it wasn't quite enough as the Rogers State Hillcats overcame a slow start to to snap the Evangels' five-game winning streak with a hard-fought 80-77 win in Sooner Athletic Conference action Monday night (Jan. 3) in Claremore, Okla. The five-game streak was the Evangels' longest since joining the SAC and NAIA in the 2007-08 season.
It was a three-point lead for the Hillcats when Williams was fouled shooting a three, made all three free throws and then drained a three that put the Evangels in front 70-69 with 4:11 remaining.
After John Boyd scored off an offensive rebound and then made a free throw to put the Hillcats on top by two, Williams again scored to tie it at 72-72.
The Hillcats (7-7, 3-3 SAC) led 77-75 when Boyd hit two more at the charity stripe to stretch the lead out to four with just 50 seconds left.
Nathan Pratt made two of his own at the foul line to make it a two-point game and the Evangels then forced a turnover on the defensive end with 14 seconds left.
At that point, the Evangels (7-5, 3-3 SAC) had a chance to tie or take the lead, but consecutive three-point attempts by Pratt were off the mark.
MACU was then forced to foul Larry Cox, who made only one of two at the line, but the Evangels failed to get a three-point attempt off as time expired.
The Evangels got off to a blistering start in the first half as a pair of treys by Pratt helped MACU score the first 14 points of the contest over the game's first five minutes.
It was still a 14-point lead at 18-4 when Taylor hit a three to start a 10-0 spurt that brought the Hillcats to within four points with 9:59 left in the opening half.
A bucket by George Haynes put the Evangels up six at 26-20, but the Hillcats continued to slowly chip away and a pair of free throws by Maurice Rutherford gave RSU its first lead of the game at 28-27 at the 6:15 mark of the first half.
Two more freebies from Rutherford and a score from Matt Kellogg expanded the lead to five for the Hillcats, who went on to a 39-35 lead at the half.
In addition to Williams' 22 point total, Pratt and Shodipo also reached double figures for the Evangels with 12 points apiece. Pratt also led the Evangels with seven rebounds.
Taylor led five Hillcats in double-figures with 21 points along with a team-high four assists. Cox scored 10 and had a game-high 12 boards.
The Evangels will now look to get back on the winning track with a matchup at Oklahoma Christian on Thursday night (Jan. 6). Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.
