ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Missouri Baptist men's basketball tied the game in the final seconds of regulation and ran away with it in overtime, overcoming Harris Stowe 88-74 on Thursday evening.
The Spartans entered Thursday night's contest looking to climb back into second place in the American Midwest Conference standings, and did just what they set out to accomplish. In an exhilarating game on both ends, Missouri Baptist managed to hit key shots and come up with timely turnovers, leading to the victory.
Harris Stowe came out sluggish in the first half and the Spartans took full advantage. Collinsville, Ill., native, Dezmon Hickman was on fire, going 5-9 for 12 points and six rebounds. Hickman ended the night as the game's leading scorer with 28 points and eight rebounds.
After building a 35-30 point advantage heading into the break, the Spartans continued to extend their lead. The team built a nine-point lead with just over 16 minutes to play. Harris Stowe, however, got themselves right back in it. Senior guard Terry Hollis led the Hornets back to within one, drilling a key three-pointer with just under seven to play.
Harris Stowe took a late lead when Wayne Brown hit a three-pointer at the 3:28 mark of the second half. Brown's shot gave the team a slim, two-point lead off of an offensive turnover by Missouri Baptist's Hickman.
Down by just one with a little over a minute remaining, the Spartans had the chance to take a late lead. MBU's Le Andre Johnson went up for a shot with 48 second left on the clock, but was blocked by Jordan Loveless. As the seconds clicked by, the fans of both teams raised the volume in the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports and Recreation Complex. With just nine ticks remaining, MBU's Dezmon Hickman missed a shot, while Garrison Plummer grabbed the offensive board and was fouled by Darrell Adams in the process of putting the ball back up. Plummer missed his first, but nailed his second foul shot in what proved to be the key bucket of the game for Missouri Baptist.
As the game went to overtime, the Spartans came out of the gate fast. Spartan guard, Le Andre Johnson sprinted in to give Missouri Baptist a quick lead. Though Hornet guard Donald Davis tied it seconds later, MBU's Hickman posted a big three-pointer to give his team the lead for good.
In addition to Hickman, Garrison Plummer put together another impressive game. The 6'5" center recorded his third double-double of the season. This was his second in as many games. Plummer finished with 18 points and 11 boards.
Johnson also played a pivotal role for Missouri Baptist. The junior guard finished with 16 points, but created opportunities for the Spartan offense for the entire game. Perhaps his biggest contribution was at the foul stripe. Johnson was a perfect 6-6 on the night.
Missouri Baptist now moves into second place in the AMC and holds a mathematical advantage over the Hornets in the conference standings. The team will now get the weekend off before heading to Columbia College next Thursday. First place in the conference will be on the line in the game. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. and will be broadcast live online by Columbia College.
