Late Rally Lifts UCO Past Gorillas

2/1/2014 6:27:00 PM

Seth Heckart

Box Score

EDMOND (Feb. 1) – Making a free throw wasn't something UCO did very well Saturday afternoon against Pittsburg State, but Aaron Anderson got one to drop in the final seconds to lift the Bronchos to a thrilling 74-73 victory at Hamilton Field House.

UCO made up a six-point deficit in the final 1:18, capped by Anderson's conventional three-point play with 9.4 seconds remaining. The sophomore guard was fouled making a tying layup and his game-winning foul shot bounced around the rim three times before dropping through.

The Gorillas had a chance to erase Anderson's heroics, but Devon Branch's contested seven-footer with 1.5 seconds remaining was off the mark and the rebound went out of bounds off a PSU player to seal the hard-earned victory.

UCO, which made just 15-of-27 free throws (55.6 percent), improved to 12-7 on the season and 6-6 in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play. The Gorillas dropped to 7-11 and 3-8.

"We didn't help ourselves with all the free throws we missed, but the kids played hard and we made some big plays offensively and defensively at the end," head coach Terry Evans said. "We needed a win and we found a way to get it done."

The Bronchos made 13 of their 23 field goals from 3-point range, getting four apiece from Josh Gibbs and Cal Andrews and three – including two in the final three minutes – from Seth Heckart.

Gibbs finished with a game-high 22 points and added seven rebounds, while Anderson made 6-of-7 shots in a 17-point, seven-assist, five-rebound outing. Heckart finished with 15 points and Andrews had 12 points and six rebounds.

UCO led by four (33-29) at intermission and it was back-and-forth most of the second half before the Gorillas surged to a seven-point lead at 65-58 with 3:25 left to play.

The Bronchos trimmed that deficit to two at 69-67 by the 2:19 mark as Gibbs splashed through a 3-pointer from the wing and Heckart drilled a pair of long-range daggers from the top of the key.

A turnover and missed 3-pointer helped PSU build that lead back to six (73-67) with 1:49 left, but Andrews drained a trey from the corner at 1:18 to make it 73-70.

Jacob Richardson then came through with a huge play for UCO, hustling down court and soaring in for a sensational block on a breakaway layup that prevented the Gorillas from extending their lead.

Gibbs was fouled with 26 seconds left and made one of two free throws to make it 73-71 and UCO's pressure defense forced a 10-second call to give the Bronchos the ball.

Anderson followed with his driving layup and the clutch free throw that lifted the Bronchos to victory.

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