ALVA, Okla. - The Northwestern Oklahoma State men's basketball team upset #3 Southern Nazarene 63-60 on a Mikey Hawkins half court shot at the buzzer.
Southern Nazarene opened up the game on a 6-0 run, before Justin Norris hit a three pointer to put Northwestern on the board. The Rangers tied the game minutes later on a Keyondre Young three point play. The two sides went into the media break knotted up at 6. The two sides traded baskets the next few minutes, as both shared time with the lead. Northwestern would take a three point lead at the under 12 minute media timeout 13-10.
Southern Nazarene grabbed momentum midway through the quarter and matched their largest lead of the game of 6 at 23-17. The Rangers came out of the media stoppage with some fire, as they rattled off four straight points to get the Crimson Storm lead to two. Despite the Rangers effort Southern Nazarene was able to push the lead to eight 33-25 at the final media of the half. The Rangers ended the half on a 4-0 run, but trailed going into the intermission 33-29.
The Rangers came out of the half time break with momentum on their side, as they were able to tie it up at 35 just before the first media break of the second half. Southern Nazarene began to pull away following the media going on a 5-2 run to put the score at 42-37. Northwestern played tough the next few minutes, but Southern Nazarene found themselves ahead at the under 12 media timeout 44-41.
Northwestern grabbed the momentum out of the media timeout with a quick 4-1 run to tie the game at 45. The Crimson Storm did not stay quiet however, as they scored two quick baskets to take a 49-45 lead into the under eight media stoppage. Young gave the Rangers a brief one point lead with just under six minutes left.
The Crimson Storm regained the lead the following possession as the two sides began to trade the lead before the media timeout. Northwestern found themselves trailing by one at the under four media time out 53-52. The final two minutes of the contest saw both sides trade baskets and the lead. The Rangers inbounded the ball with 2.6 seconds left to Mikey Hawkins who drained a half court shot at the buzzer to win the game.
Northwestern will be back in action on January 3rd as they travel down to Shawnee, Oklahoma to take on Oklahoma Baptist.
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