EDMOND, Okla. — Cam Martin’s double-double and Winston Dessesow’s late jumper propelled the Missouri Southern men’s basketball team to a 75-74 win over Central Oklahoma on Thursday night in the 2020-21 season opener at Hamilton Field House.
The night’s opener also went down to the wire, and finished with the same score, as Central Oklahoma won the women’s MIAA clash 75-74.
MSSU MEN 75, UCO 74
Ranked 21st nationally, Missouri Southern trailed by one when Dessesow knocked down a 15-foot jumper with nine seconds on the clock. The Bronchos did not get off a shot before the final buzzer sounded.
Martin scored 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting and also grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Lions, while Dessesow added 21 points with five 3-pointers. Stan Scott added 14 points for the Lions, who shot 46 percent from the field (26-of-57) and 41 percent from 3-point range (9-of-22).
Cam Givens led UCO with 27 points. The Bronchos made 24-of-61 shots (46 percent), but went only 5-of-19 from beyond the arc (26 percent).
The game was tied at 17 with 9:57 remaining in the first half and the Lions led 36-34 at halftime. Southern extended its lead to 56-50 with 10 minutes remaining, but the Bronchos later used a 9-0 run to tie the game at 63.
Central Oklahoma led 73-68 with 1:19 to play, but a dunk and free throw from Martin trimmed Southern’s lead to two. After a key defensive stop, Scott’s dunk tied the game with 56 seconds to play.
UCO’s Justin Nimmer hit the second of two free throws with 37 seconds left to give his team a 74-73 cushion. After a timeout, Dessesow buried the game-winning jumper. There were 13 lead changes in the game.
Lions head coach Jeff Boschee did not travel with the team, as he’s in quarantine after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus.
Southern (1-0) heads to Newman on Saturday, with game time set for 3:30.
UCO WOMEN 75, MSSU 74
Despite a valiant effort, the Missouri Southern women were unable to finish off a late comeback.
In a game that featured 13 lead changes, the Lions trailed by as many as 10 in the fourth quarter before taking a 74-73 lead with 18 seconds left on Carley Turnbull’s old-fashioned 3-point play on a layup and free throw.
But UCO’s Jaci Littell sank a pair of free throws with eight seconds left, and MSSU’s last-second 3-pointer was off the mark.
Turnbull led Southern with 15 points, while Kaitlin Hunnicutt added 14 points. Madi Stokes contributed 11 rebounds and six points, while Megan Jackson added 11 points.
Southern made 27-of-58 field goal attempts (46.6 percent), including 9-of-23 from beyond the arc (39 percent).
Kelsey Johnson poured in 30 points on 13-of-19 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead UCO. The Bronchos made 49 percent of their field goal attempts (24-of-49), but hit just 5-of-15 3-pointers.
The Lions led 21-18 at the end of the back and forth first quarter and 34-31 at intermission. The Bronchos outscored the Lions 21-10 in the third quarter to take a 52-44 advantage.
The hosts led 65-55, but the visitors used a 13-4 run, which featured a pair of treys from Hunnicutt, to briefly pull ahead. Southern erupted for 30 points in the final frame, but it wasn’t enough.
The Lions (0-1) head to Newman on Saturday, with tip-off slated for 1:30.
FULL STATS
Women’s game: https://mssulions.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2020-21/central-oklahoma/boxscore/4303
Men’s game: https://mssulions.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&id=4316
