Bison Rally Big to Reach SAC Finals

March 5, 2005

Oklahoma Baptist came back from 17 points down to force overtime and out scored Lubbock Christian 13-3 in the extra period to beat the Chaps 94-83, moving to the finals of the Joe Cooper Ford Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament.

"We didn't quit," said Head Coach Doug Tolin. "We just kept fighting and every time our players would get something going the crowd would get into it and wouldn't let us quit. It was so huge to play at home the last two games. This win has to be in the top of the wins as long as I've been coaching. We've been lucky, but under these circumstances I don't think people understand how hard our guys fought today."

OBU will play Oklahoma City for the SAC championship at 7:30 p.m. Monday. OBU can only advance to the NAIA Tournament by winning that game.

"This is as proud as I've ever been of a team," said Tolin. "Even though we won we still have to get one more win. Our guys were playing to get to Kansas City. Lubbock was already in so we were in a desperate situation. That played big to our advantage."

With 10:20 left to play the Chaparrals took a 66-49 lead after Jared Fears hit a three to put LCU up 17.

The Bison then went on a 14-0 run to pull within in two at 68-66 with 6:05 left to play. Mario Muzurovic put Lubbock 71-66 with a three, but Robert Hart pulled the Bison with three at 71-68 with a pair of free throws. With 2:35 left to play James Horner put LCU up 78-73 with a lay up.

Leonard Mosley brought OBU within two with a trey and Bailey Jones tied the game up at 78 with 53 seconds to play.

With six seconds left to play Hart drove the lane dished off to Frank Benson who put up an errant shot, but Justin Benson tipped the ball back up and in as the horn sounded, but the bucket was called off by the referees saying that he didn't get it off in time.

In the extra period, OBU never trailed and closed out overtime with a 10-0 run.

The Bison led only one time in regulation and that was at 2-0. A similar situation happened Feb. 24 when the Bison never led against SNU, but forced overtime and beat the Crimson Storm 80-77.

Leonard Mosley led the way for the Bison with a career high 33 points and grabbed four rebounds. Robert Hart also scored 27 points as he and Mosley combined for 60 of the Bison's 94 points.

"Those two guys just played amazing tonight," said Tolin. "That's what seniors are supposed to do. Those types of guys just win big games down the stretch at the end of the year and they did it today. We just spread their zone out with Leonard hitting threes and that freed up Robert to drive and then the post guys did their job as well."

"Just winning one game doesn't get it done," said Tolin. "If we don't win Monday night we haven't accomplished anything."