Game Statistics
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Dec. 21) -- Eric Cazenave scored five points in a 12-0 run that gave Central Oklahoma the lead for good in the final five minutes and the Bronchos rallied from a 13-point second-half deficit to topple Angelo State 95-93 here Monday night.
Cazenave's outburst helped UCO turn a 79-76 deficit with 5:30 remaining into an 88-79 lead with 3:05 to play and the Bronchos survived a frantic finish despite going just 7-of-14 from the free throw line -- missing five straight at one time -- in the final two minutes.
UCO led 91-83 with 1:15 left, but the win wasn't clinched until Dauntae Williams made one of two foul shots with 5.6 seconds remaining to make it 95-91 and negate a buzzer-beating layup by the Rams.
It was the second consecutive road win for the Bronchos, who improved to 6-4 on the year while dropping ASU to 6-4.
“We got big contributions from a lot of guys and got out of here with a really good win,” UCO coach Terry Evans said. “We didn't panic when we got down and did a great job of staying with what we were doing.”
Williams scored 17 of his game-high 25 points in the first half while adding 11 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals. Chris McCleary was huge off the bench with a career-high 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and Cazenave had 14 of his 16 points in the second half.
The Bronchos trailed by 13 (54-41) with 16:18 before McCleary had five points to spark a 10-2 run that got UCO within 56-51.
ASU led 69-64 at the 9:25 mark, but Shane Carroll drilled a 3-pointer from the corner, McCleary drove in for a layup, Cazenave hit two free throws and McCleary had another layup in another 10-2 spurt that gave UCO its first lead of the game at 74-71 with 7:32 left.
The Rams came back to grab a 79-76 lead at the 5:30 mark and that's when UCO answered with its game-deciding run.
Tyler Phillips started it with a driving layup, Chris Rhymes followed with a three-point play and then Cazenave scored five straight with a 3-pointer and layup. McCleary ended the scoring spree with another layup for an 88-79 lead at 3:05.
It was 91-83 after two Brent Friday free throws with 1:15 left, but UCO's free throw woes enabled ASU to get close in the final seconds. Rhymes had two clutch charity tosses at 0:15 and Williams made the clincher with 5.6 ticks left.
UCO missed its first 10 shots of the game in falling into a quick 10-1 hole, but battled back to within three at 27-24 on a Williams dunk with 6:21 left in the half. It was a four-point deficit (35-31) at 3:35 after a Williams trey from the corner, then the Rams finished with an 8-3 run to go up 43-34 at the break.
