January 28, 2016-Emporia State broke a 12 year losing streak to Southwest Baptist in Bolivar with a 68-64 win over the Bearcats on Thursday night. The Hornets had not won in Bolivar since a 71-69 victory on January 3, 2004.
GAME OF RUNS
The Hornets fell behind 11-4 to start the game. They would then answer with a 10-2 run of their own to take a 14-13 lead with 10:09 left in the first half. The Bearcats answered with a 10-4 run to go ahead 23-18 with 5:42 left in the opening frame. Emporia State followed that with a 13-2 run to go up 31-25 with 2:23 left in the half. The run was aided by a four point possession with 3:14 left when SBU coach Clark Sheehy picked up a technical foul and Josh Pederson hit four free throws. A Brandon Hall jumper at the buzzer gave the Hornets a 37-32 lead at the break.
SECOND HALF DROUGHT
Emporia State scored the first four points of the second half to take their biggest lead at 41-32 with 18:17 left on a Terrence Moore steal and layup. It would be the last points for the Hornets until Charles McKinney hit a lay-up with 10:19 remaining. During the nearly eight minute scoring drought the Hornets were able to hold the Bearcats to just ten points and McKinney's layup forced a tie at 43.
FINAL PUSH
There would be three ties and three lead changes over a six minute period until Terrence Moore hit an old fashioned three-point play with 4:14 left to give the Hornets the lead for good at 54-53. Emporia State would only hit one field goal of the final 4:14, a tip in by McKinney with 1:20 left, but were able to hit ten of ten free thows in that time to secure the win.
THE NUMBERS
Charles McKinney led Emporia State with 16 points and was joined in double figures by Terrence Moore with 12 and Josh Oswald and Micah Swank with 11 points each. Oswald had a game high nine rebounds while Moore added five rebounds, four assists and three steals. As a team the Hornets hit 26 of 34 free throws, including their last 16 straight.
UP NEXT
The Hornets travel to Central Missouri on Saturday to take on the Mules. Tip-off from the UCM Multi-purpose Building is set for 3:30 p.m.
