Bison Open with Victory

Article Date

November 4, 2005

Oklahoma Baptist rolled to season-opening basketball win Friday night, taking down Sterling College 86-73.

The Bison played with nine available players with Nick Pope in the hospital following an emergency appendectomy Friday morning.

"I think all nine guys we played tonight did some good, but we've still got some things to work on," said Bison coach Doug Tolin.

The Bison trailed early but Frank Benson led OBU on a 9-0 run for an 11-5 lead with 14:44 left in the first half.

Sterling closed to within four before Trey Griffin scored six points in a 18-2 Bison run for a 32-12 lead with 6:45 left in the half.

Matt Canady and Bailey Jones scored the last four points of the half to give OBU a 46-26 lead at the break.

Justin Benson scored eight points to hold Sterling at bay by 15 points in an early second half hot streak and OBU took its biggest lead of the game, 68-45, when Frank Benson scored eight points in a 10-4 OBU run.

Sterling used a three-point barrage to pull within 11 but OBU controlled the game inside and thwarted the comeback attempt.

Frank Benson had 31 points for OBU with Justin Benson adding another 15. Julius Hurd led the Bison with eight rebounds and five assists.

Tony Stewart came off the bench to lead the Warriors with 32 points, including seven three-pointers.

"Stewart's a big guy and we had to guard him with a post," Tolin said. "That gave us some trouble. Sterling is going to do nothing but get better as the season goes on. They're a good, solid team."

OBU's men return to action Monday against Central Bible College in the Noble Complex at 7 p.m.