Williams Buzzer-Beater Lifts LCU

OKLAHOMA CITY (January 12, 2012) - Douglas Williams hit a three-point field goal from the right-corner as time expired and the bucket lifted Lubbock Christian University to a 62-59 road victory over Oklahoma City University Thursday night in Sooner Athletic Conference play.  The win was the first for the Chaps at Oklahoma City since Feb. 19, 2004.

Charlton Jones had a chance to put OCU up with the score tied 59-59 and 26 seconds remaining, but he missed a free-throw attempt and Jaron Vierra grabbed the rebound for LCU and called a timeout with 20 seconds remaining.  The Chaps worked the clock down to better position for the final shot, but the Chaps plan initially failed as OCU used a swarming defense that disallowed Rashad Sample from touching the ball.  Javvon Hunter, pressured to do something with four seconds remaining, began to penetrate and while trying to split through defenders he was able to slip a pass to Williams in the right corner.  Williams flung up a fade away and drained the shot at the horn for the win.

The thrilling ending added some offensive excitement to a game that did not include much offensive flow.  The game featured 10 lead changes and neither team had a lead more than nine points. The first half saw OCU out-rebound LCU 24-11 leading to a 12-2 advantage in second chance scoring.  Orland Jackman nearly completed a double-double in the first half for OCU with 11 rebounds and eight points in the half.  LCU was fortunate to head into the half trailing 34-30, as Sample put the Chaps on his back and scored 17 points in the half going 7-of-9 from the field. 

Williams was able to get the Chaps going in the second half with a pair of early field goals as part of a 9-2 run to give LCU a 41-38 lead with 16:20 remaining.  That would turn out to be the largest lead in the game for LCU. The second half would feature a few scoring droughts, including a four minute span in which the score was 43-42 with LCU leading.

LCU was fortunate to get the win as they were out-rebounded 45-25 in the game.  The Chaps offset that with a 21-11 advantage in turnovers.  The turnovers led to a 22-8 advantage in points off turnovers for LCU.  The Chaps out-scored OCU 36-30 in the paint and 12-2 in second chance scoring.  Sample finished with a career-high 23 points in the game. Williams finished with 13 points and was joined in double figures by Vierra (10 points) and Jeff Ayisire (11 points).  Shane Rogers finished with 16 points in the losing cause for OCU.  Jackman finished with the double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds, and Tim Morton also completed a double-double with 10 rebounds and 10 points in the losing effort.

The win places LCU with an 8-7 overall mark and 4-4 in the SAC.   OCU falls to 8-5 overall and 5-4 in SAC play.  It capped off a solid day for LCU, as the game followed the Lady Chaps 88-66 win over No.1 Oklahoma City to mark the first time LCU has ever swept a conference series at Oklahoma City.  LCU remains on the road Saturday and they will travel to Mid-America Christian to face the Evangels at 3 p.m.