Roy's Free Throw With 1-Second on Clock Holds Off NOC-Enid 69-68 in Conference Play

ENID--Darius Roy sank the front end of one-and-one free throw with one second left to lift the No. 12-ranked Connors State Cowboys to a heart pounding 69-68 Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference victory over Northern Oklahoma-Enid Thursday night at Mabee Field House.

The Cowboys improved to 24-3 on the year and 12-2 in league play to remain tied with Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa for the top spot in the OCAC, setting the stage for next Monday night's clash at Melvin Self Field House.

"We just didn't play well tonight, but we got through it," said Cowboys head coach Bill Muse. "Our offense just wasn't there tonight. But we were able to hold on, barely."

Connors held a 66-63 lead with 1:16 remaining in the game and went up 68-63 on a Roy bucket, who finished with 18 points, with 50 seconds left.

The Jets cut the Cowboys lead to two points 68-66 on a three-point basket by Sebastian Gray, who finished with16 points to lead the Jets, from the right corner with 29 ticks on the clock.

Then on the inbounds pass, Cowboys Ra'Shwan Langston, who was apparently fouled (but not called), was whistled for traveling. The Jets' Kennan Balance then scored with 22 seconds remaining to tie the game at 68-all.

The Cowboys were able to get the ball in play and moved it down the floor when Roy was fouled by Ballance, setting the stage for Roy's dramatic winning free throw.

Mason Jones followed Roy in the scoring with 17 points with Langston and Burke Putnam adding 10 each.

Putnam came off the bench in the first half to score 10 points to ignite the Cowboys to a 30-24 advantage after a sluggish opening 15 minutes of play.

"Putnam's play in the first half was critical," said Muse. "He really stepped up, where Langston didn't do much the first half."

The two clubs played to a 13-13 deadlock for the first six minutes of the opening half. Terrance Jones broke the deadlock with a bucket then entered Putnam.

Putnam scored back-to-back baskets to give the Cowboys a 20-13 lead with 4:49 left in the half.

After a Jets basket, Putnam added two more buckets giving Connors a 24-15 advantage with 3:41 remaining.

A.J. Cockrell scored on a 10 footer followed by Jets’ basket, before Putnam scored his 10^th point to put the Cowboys out in front by 10 in the first half, their largest lead.

Connors' largest lead of the game was 12 points, 61-49 with six-minutes remaining.

CONNORS STATE 69, NOC-ENID  68

CONNORS STATE 30 39--69

NOC-ENID  24 44--68

Connors State (24-3, 12-2)--Roy 18, M. Jones 17, Langston 10, Putnam 10, Coulter 9, T. Jones 3, Cockrell 2.

NOC-Enid (13-10, 6-7)--Gray 16, Ballance 12, Harvey 12, Ramey 11, Bryant 11, Johnson 4,  Hall 2.