NAIA
[Men's Basketball] Gaither's Buzzer-Beater Lifts Drovers in Conference-Opener at John Brown
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. – Thursday night, the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (3-3, 1-0 SAC) got back on track in thrilling fashion, with a 70-68 victory in the conference-opener at John Brown University (2-4, 0-1 SAC).The Drovers got off to a solid start, holding a 12-7 lead five minutes into the contest, and the lead was pushed to 25-10 midway through the half. JBU began to gain some traction late in the half and cut into the lead, but the Drovers clung to a 37-30 lead at halftime. Following the break, the Golden Eagles continued to chip away at the Drovers' lead and cut their deficit to 43-41 with 14:30 remaining in regulation. Midway through the second half, Science & Arts held a narrow 53-51 advantage, prior to JBU claiming a 58-57 lead with 6:42 to play. The lead was exchanged multiple times over the final minutes, but the Drovers were able to come away with the win, courtesy of Langston Gaither (SR/Alexander, VA)'s put-back with only one second remaining in the game. WATCH BUZZER BEATER–> CLICK HEREThe Drovers shot 29-71 (.408) from the field, and 8-27 (.296) from three-point range. In comparison, the Golden Eagles shot 24-60 (.400) from the field, and 7-26 (.269) from deep. John Brown held a narrow 41-37 advantage in the rebounding battle, but the Drovers forced JBU into committing 14 turnovers, while only committing seven themselves.Furthermore, the Drovers overcame a huge discrepancy in fouls, with the Drovers being whistled 17 times, while the Golden Eagles only got called for seven fouls on their home court.Gerard Makuntae (SR/Austell, GA) was sensational in the win, tallying 23 points on 9-16 shooting from the field, including 3-6 from deep. Additionally, Makuntae added eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Samkelo Cele (SR/Durban, South Africa) provided a huge spark off the bench, contributing 19 points on 9-17 shooting from the field. Langston Gaither finished with 10 points, in addition to seven rebounds, and three assists. Cejay Mann (SO/Alma, AR) followed closely behind with nine points on 3-7 shooting from downtown. Logan Dolan (SO/Broken Arrow, OK) chipped in five points and three rebounds, while Jaden Harrell (SO/Oklahoma City, OK) added four points, four rebounds, and three assists. WATCH PREVIOUS BUZZER-BEATERS vs JBU –> CLICK HERE WHAT'S NEXT?The Drovers will return home to face Oklahoma City University on Saturday, November 19. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:45 PM, inside Drover Fieldhouse. Stay up to date on all Science & Arts Athletics news by following us on our media platforms!Athletics Website: www.usaoathletics.comLive-stream: www.sacsportsnetwork.com/usao/YouTube: Drover AthleticsTwitter: @DroverAthleticsFacebook: @DroverAthleticsInstagram: @drover_athleticsGIPHY: www.giphy.com/USAODrovers