OKLAHOMA CITY - Mid-America Christian University men's basketball head coach Josh Gamblin beat the Southwestern Christian University Eagles in the first matchup Gamblin had with his alma mater. Since that time, the Evangels have been unable to find a victory against the Eagles, and that streak continued on Saturday in gut-wrenching fashion.
MACU (8-5, 1-4 SAC) led the game at the half, but a rocky shooting performance in the final 20 minutes cost the Evangels, as SCU (8-5, 3-2 SAC) rallied, then held on to beat the Evangels for the seventh time in a row, 61-58.
The game took on a sloppy tone from the start. Both teams applied high defensive pressure, and as a result, the turnovers piled up in bunches on both sides from the opening tip. The teams combined to turn the ball over four times in the first five total possessions, and the Evangels defense also held SCU to a pedestrian shooting percentage in the opening half. SCU was 8 for 25 from the floor in the opening half, but the Evangels were unable to take full advantage. MACU led by as many as nine in the half, and at the intermission, the Evangels' lead was 30-24.
SCU scored the first six points of the second stanza to tie the score at 30, and the game remained a nip-and-tuck affair for the remainder of the night. Neither team led by more than four points in the first 19 minutes of the second frame, and each team held only one four point lead in that span. SCU took their largest lead of the game with 38 seconds to play on a free throw from Patrick White, but the Evangels fought to the finish. A pair of free throws from Anthony Black, followed by a steal and a bucket from Charles Beauregard, Jr. cut the deficit to 59-57 with 23 seconds to play. A pair of missed free throws from SCU in the waning seconds kept the Evangels within striking distance, and at the buzzer, Black got off a shot to tie, but it missed to the left, and the Eagles held on for the 61-58 win.
Justin Bogle led all scorers in the game with 21 points, and he added eight rebounds, and four blocked shots. Black added 10 points, but no other Evangels reached double figures. Khalil Thompson had three steals as well.
MACU struggled in the second half, making 8-of 36 shots, and only 3 of 16 3-point attempts. For the game, MACU made 19 of 50 (31.7%) from the floor, and 5 of 26 (19.2%) from long distance. At the foul line, MACU was 15 for 20 (75%).
MACU will not have much time to right the ship, as they will play host to the University of Science & Arts Drovers (10-3, 3-2 SAC) at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8.
