The Basics
Score: USAO 83, Evangel 80
Records: Evangel (0-2), USAO (3-0)
Location: Chickasha, Okla. | Drover Fieldhouse

Box Score

CHICKASHA, Okla. – Despite building a 13-point second-half lead, the Evangel men's basketball team came up on the short end of an 83-80 decision to the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma Monday evening at the Drover Fieldhouse.

The Drovers (3-0) rallied from an 80-67 deficit over the game's final four minutes, shooting a red-hot 56.3 percent from the floor in the second half while holding the Crusaders scoreless for more than five minutes to pull out the three-point victory.

Evangel rode a big first half from All-American Cade Coffman, as the junior scored seven points in the first five minutes of the contest to stake the Crusaders to an early nine-point advantage. Coffman would connect on 5-of-11 first-half field goal attempts to tally 16 points, helping EU lead by as many as 11 before taking a 44-36 margin into intermission.

The Crusader defense limited USAO to just 0.344 shooting from the field over the game's first 20 minutes, while the EU offense knocked down 15-of-36 shots from the floor and 10-of-11 at the foul line.

But the second half would prove to be a different story after the Drovers opened the period with a 19-9 run over the first six minutes to take a 55-53 lead.

EU responded with a clutch run of its own, as three-pointers by Josh Pritchett and a trio of newcomers--Stephen Salvi, Kendall Sutton and Manrique Alvarado--sparked a 25-10 outburst over an eight-minute stretch that handed the Crusaders a 78-65 cushion with just under six minutes to play.

After a Drover basket trimmed the gap to 11, Pavel Antonov cashed in a second-chance opportunity to make it an 80-67 affair with 5:10 to play.

But Stephon Hall and Gerard Makuntae combined to score the next 11 points to pull USAO to within two points with 1:32 left in regulation, before an Elvin Rodriguez free throw and a Tre'veon Ellis buck off a Hall steal gave the home team the lead for good with 42 second remaining on the clock.

EU turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, and Hall delivered a pair of successful free throw attempts to stretch the lead to 83-80. With one final chance to even the score, the Crusaders were off the mark with a pair of three-point tries in the final seconds, sending EU to its second-straight setback to start the season.

Coffman finished with a game-high 22 points on 7-of-18 shooting, as well as seven rebounds and a pair of steals. Pritchett added 15 points, five assists and three steals, and Antonov chipped in with 10 points and six boards for EU.

The trio of Salvi, Alvarado and Sutton combined for 20 points, 14 of which came in the second half.

Hall and Cameron Hines led USAO with 18 points apiece, while Boudacar Diakite added 14 and Makuntae scored 10 points.

Up Next 

Evangel returns to Springfield for a pair of neutral-site contests, Nov. 13-14, at W.E. Dowell Fieldhouse on the campus of Baptist Bible College. The Crusaders will take on Columbia College in a 6 p.m. game (Nov. 13), before meeting Bellevue for a 2 p.m. tilt the following day.

Fans can now follow the Crusaders on Facebook at Facebook.com/EUAthletics, Twitter (@EUAthletics), or online at EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates by downloading the new Evangel Crusaders Gameday App through Google Play.

—EvangelAthletics.com—