by By Chris Brannick
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Central Oklahoma needed overtime, but the seventh-ranked Bronchos hit another level in the extra period on their way to an 86-72 win over Henderson State in the first of two games in the revived High Desert Classic.
Central Oklahoma improved to 10-1 on the season with the win. The Bronchos were down 36-31 at halftime before outscoring HSU 38-33 in the second half to force overtime. Then, an astounding performance turned the game into a route. UCO outscored the Reddies from Arkadelphia, Arkansas 17-3 in overtime to get the win.
“I’m so proud of our guys for how they competed tonight,” UCO head men’s basketball coach Bob Hoffman said. “We had to work for that one. They were physical and really got after us, but the guys never gave up and kept fighting.”
Danquez Dawsey led Central Oklahoma with 23 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. The junior guard scored six points in overtime following his huge, game-tying bucket with 25 seconds left in regulation that forced the extra period.
Jaden Wells added 18 points, six boards, and five assists. The fourth-year junior that ranks 10th in school history for career points, is now just two shy of No. 9 on the historic list. Wells went 5-for-14 in the game and hit one 3-pointer, an electrifying bucket from the corner with 1:33 to play in overtime.
Luke Haasl went for nine points but was huge on the boards, pulling down a career-high 13 in the game. He also had two blocked shots.
Central Oklahoma shot 45.1 percent in the game, making 32 of 71 shots. The Bronchos were a tough 3-for-21 from behind the 3-point line on Monday night, with Dawsey, Wells and Majok Majouk each hitting one. UCO also went 19-for-27 from the free-throw line in the game for a 70.4 percent mark. Wells led UCO with seven makes from the stripe while Dawsey added six.
Jalyn Turner, Matthew Willenbord, and Mike Quick Jr. each added eight points for the Bronchos. All three were big on the boards too. Turner pulled down seven rebounds, Quick Jr. had five, and Willenborg had four. Turner and Willenborg also had three offensive rebounds each. Preston Aymond added five points and six rebounds to go with two blocks. Majouk finished with three and Parker Hannah and Jarreth Ingram both scored two points.
Central Oklahoma and Henderson State traded leads 20 times on Monday and there were 11 instances the game was tied. There were nine lead changes and four ties in the first half, with Henderson holding the biggest lead at seven points at the 4:59 mark. Central’s biggest lead in the first half was just two points.
UCO opened the second half strong, getting in front by six points, 49-43, six minutes into the second frame. The game would see another margin that big until overtime.
In the extra period, UCO opened with a pair of free-throws from Dawsey and after two misses on one possession by HSU, Dawsey put in another to give the Bronchos a four-point lead, 73-69. Henderson State missed its first six shots in overtime before getting a free-throw to make it 77-70 with 1:19 left. The Reddies made two more free-throws with 42 seconds left and missed a buzzer beater to end the extra frame 0-for-7 from the floor.
