December 30, 2018-Emporia State battled back from a four point deficit with under a minute to play to force overtime before falling 94-90 at Northwestern Oklahoma State on Sunday afternoon in Alva, Okla.
After giving up the first two points of the game the Hornets scored eight straight to go up 8-2 with 16:31 left in the first half. Emporia State would lead the rest of the half and took their biggest lead at 23-15 with 5:46 left on a pair of Malik Hluchoweckyj free throws. The Rangers used a 7-0 run to cut the lead to 23-22 just over a minute later. Sawyer Glick hit a jumper with 4:27 left to push the lead back to three and after Ranger jumper cut it back to a point, Kooper Glick nailed a three-pointer to push the lead to 28-24 with 3:20 left. Justin Washington got a lay up and converted the old-fashioned three point play to push Emporia State's lead to 33-28 with 1:27 left. Treyvon Andres scored on a put back to cut it to three before Hluchoweckyj scored in the paint with 42 seconds left for a 35-30 lead. David Thornton scored on a layup inside with 29 seconds left as the Hornets to a 35-32 lead into the break.
Duncan Fort scored for Emporia State on the opening play of the second half and Andres answered for Northwestern Oklahoma to make it 37-34 with 19:25 left. Sawyer Glick gave the Hornets their biggest lead of the second half when hit a three-pointer off the fast break with 19:00 remaining. The Rangers then went on a 9-2 run and took their first lead since 2-0 when Jack Peck connected on a three-pointer with 17:26 left for a 43-42 NWOSU lead. Washington connected from beyond the arc with 17:08 left to put the Hornets back up 45-43. Northwestern then went on an 8-0 run take a 51-45 lead with 14:25 left.
The Ranger lead reached seven before the Hornets went on an 8-1 run of their own and Grant Shell's free throws with 9:18 left tied the game at 59. Emporia State stayed within four points until Kooper Glick gave the Hornets a 71-70 lead with a pair of free throws at the 6:31 mark. A Sawyer Glick three with 4:11 left gave the Hornets their last lead of regulation at 75-74. Peck hit two free throws with 1:05 left to give Northwestern an 80-76 lead. Sawyer Glick answered with a three-pointer to cut the lead to one with 50 seconds left. AJ Jones hit two free throws to give the Rangers an 82-79 lead with 28 seconds left. Hluchoweckyj got the hoop and the harm with 15 seconds left to tie the game at 82 and Peck missed a jumper at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
The Rangers came out on fire in the overtime and scored the first eight points of the extra frame to take a 90-82 lead with 3:33 left. The Hornets responded with an 8-2 run of their own and Sawyer Glick hit his fifth three-pointer of the game with 1:14 left to cut the lead to 92-90. Andres missed a three-pointer at the end of the shot clock but Peck was able to get the offensive rebound with 43 seconds left. Peck then scored with 25 seconds left to give the Rangers a two possession lead. Justin Jackson missed a three-pointer with 16 seconds left and Hluchoweckyj missed another with 12 seconds left. AJ Jones missed two free throws with 8.6 seconds to give the Hornets a glimmer of hope, but Sawyer Glick's guarded three-pointer was off the mark and the clock expired for the 94-90 Ranger win.
Sawyer Glick led Emporia State with 19 points and was five of ten from beyond the three-point line. He was joined in double figures by Hluchoweckyj with 18 points, Jackson with 15 and Kooper Glick with 13 points. Duncan Fort just missed double figures with nine points and tied Hluchoweckyj for the team lead with seven rebounds.
The Hornets return to White Auditorium on Saturday, January 5 to take on Washburn as MIAA play resumes. Tip-off for the Turnpike Tussle is set for 7:30 p.m. on Slaymaker Court.
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