Waxahachie, Texas – January 27, 2017- It was a battle for the first place spot in the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) on Thursday evening when Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) men’s basketball team hosted Texas Wesleyan University (TWU). The Rams topped the Lions with a true buzzer beater, 66-64. With the win, TWU now holds the top spot in the SAC with a 7-2 record, 17-3 overall. SAGU is now in second place with a 16-5 overall record and a 6-3 in the SAC.
Both teams are nationally ranked. TWU is currently no. 12 in the nation and SAGU is close behind at no. 20. In early December, the Rams handed SAGU their first SAC loss.
For much of the first half the game was within a point or two. With 4:53 left in the half, Keyunta Watkins stepped up with a well-timed three pointer to tie the game at 23. In the last four minutes, TWU went on a 13-4 run to take the halftime lead of 36-27.
“We finished the first half poorly which is never a good thing as they kept momentum going into the second half,” explained SAGU head coach Donnie Bostwick .
The momentum did swing in the Rams favor and within the first two and a half minutes of the second half they were able to take the 14 point lead, 43-29.
SAGU didn’t fold, and they were able to come up big in the next few minutes. “It was good to see us dig down deep. Isaak stepped up, then Keyunta and Adrian followed, giving us a chance to win tonight,” remarks Bostwick.
Within three minutes, SAGU hit five three pointers, three by Isaak Rowe and two from Keyunta Watkins . The rest of the half remained close, and with 1:03 left in the game, the score was tied at 64 after Adrian Palacios hit a three.
With 0:39 left on the clock, TWU’s Dion Rogers missed a three. Lions rebound the ball, setting up the chance for a final shot, “We have the ball with chance to take the last shot for the win. That is all you can ask for. I decided not to call a timeout since we had the ball in Keyunta’s hands as I did not want them setting their defense. Key went a little early which gave them the four seconds they needed to hit the game winner,” says Bostwick.
And four seconds was all TWU needed. Dion Rogers pulled up for the jumper exactly at the buzzer to give the Rams the 66-64 win.
SAGU’s Keyunta Watkins and Isaak Rowe both scored 20 points. Rowe had three steals. Adrian Palacios added 10 points and seven rebounds.
TWU was led by Trevon Jeffery with 16 points. The Rams had four players in double digit scoring
Despite being in solid standing in the conference, Bostwick knows what a tough the SAC truly is, “We have nine more games to go, and even though we are in solid position, we are one game out of first, but only two games out of 9th. We will need to show the courage to fight hard on the road against a Southwestern Christian squad that is only a game back of us at this point.”
On Saturday, January 28, 2017 the Lions will travel to play Southwestern Christian. Game time is at 5pm. SCU is currently 13-8 overall and 5-4 in the SAC.
Southwestern Assemblies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees on campus or online. More information is available at www.sagu.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-SAGU.
Contact: Natalie Tristan, SAGU SID, [email protected]
