ARKADELPHIA, ARKANSAS - Northwestern Oklahoma State basketball had their win streak snapped in a 96-88 defeat to the Reddies to open the two game trip to Arkadelphia Thursday evening.
The Rangers fall to 11-10 on the season with a 9-6 conference record following the loss.Â
Brian Free led the way with 24 points knocking down five three pointers as one of three double figure scorers alongside Larry White with 19 points and Marquis Milton with 14 points.Â
Malek Davis got the scoring started with a put back jump shot after an offensive rebound for the early 2-0 lead over the Rangers. Kabeya Tshibangu put the Rangers on the board to tie the game at the 18:41 mark of the first half. It was Brian Free who gave the Rangers their first lead of the game with a three pointer after an offensive rebound by Justin Norris for three of Free's 18 first half points.Â
This was the first of back to back three pointers for Free as after a steal by Larry White, the Ranger guard knocked down the three pointer in transition. Henderson State battled back to tie the game at 10-10 following a foul shot with 14 minutes to play in the first half.Â
The game remained tied until White hit a layup on the break following a steal by Daraun Clark for a 17-15 lead. The Reddies scored six straight on back to back three pointers to regain the lead at 21-17 with under 10Â minutes left in the opening half. White answered though with four straight points for the Rangers to quickly tie the game now at 21-21.
The teams continued to trade baskets as a Camron McDowell three pointer kept the Rangers within one point at 30-29 before Brian Free tied the score at 34. Larry White had a put back dunk to push the Rangers in front at 37-36 but the Reddies went on an 8-0 run after the dunk to take a 44-37 lead over the Rangers. Free hit a three pointer in the closing seconds of the half as the Rangers trailed 44-40 at the break.Â
Kabeya Tshibangu opened the second half with the Rangers first four points as the Rangers trailed by six. Kennedy Milton had a steal leading to a Larry White dunk as the Rangers trailed by three looking for a chance to take the lead. However the Reddies answered, pushing their lead back to seven. At the 11:11 mark of the half Justin Norris drilled a three pointer as Northwestern then trailed by five before Free hit a three to go back to back with Norris as the Rangers trailed by two.Â
A 10-0 run for Henderson State gave the Reddies some separation at the eight minute mark as the run opened their first double digit lead of the night over the Rangers at 76-64. Henderson State grew their largest lead to 13 points at the 4:53 mark. It remained in double digits through most the rest of the way before a jump shot by DaRaun Clark and Jabiri Smith had the Rangers back within eight. Ater a Henderson State shot Marquise and Kennedy Milton hit the last two shots as the Rangers dropped the Thursday game 96-88 to split the season series.Â
The Rangers will close the trip out in Arkadelphia on Saturday with an afternoon matchup Saturday against Ouachita Baptist with tip-off scheduled for 3:00 PM.
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