Men's Basketball | 12/7/2019 5:36:00 PM

Box Score  
HAVILAND, Kan. – In its first non-exhibition game in two weeks, Oklahoma Panhandle State University men's basketball lost a see-saw non-conference contest on the road at Barclay College, 96-91. The loss dropped the Aggies to 3-5 overall this season and 0-4 on an opponent's home floor.
 
The first 20 minutes of play had three distinct segments, as Barclay took a 47-46 lead into the locker room. The first six minutes saw the Bears drain four treys – including their first three field goal attempts – and take advantage of five Aggie turnovers to lead, 17-10, when OPSU Head Coach Mark Laird called a timeout to settle the troops.
 
Laird's timeout proved well-placed, as OPSU turned the tables coming out of the stoppage. Panhandle would go on a 19-0 run over the next 6:26 minutes, ignited by back-to-back steals from Jalen Williams that led to easy Aggie buckets. After the timeout, the Bears did not score until making a pair of free throws with 8:44 left in the half.
 
Shaking off its scoreless spree seemed to spark the host's offense to close the half. Panhandle found itself caught by the Bears, 35-35, with 5:26 remaining in the half. A few seconds later, a bucket that made it 37-36 gave Barclay the upper hand it kept going into the intermission.
 
Both teams started the second half a bit sluggish, but the Aggies tied the Bears, 54-54, and then took the lead back at 16:12 on a three-ball from Brett Williams, 57-54. Panhandle upped its cushion to five, 65-60, before Barclay clawed back and the teams swapped leads.
 
The Aggies built their advantage to six (81-75) with 5:51 left in the second on an offensive rebound and put-back by Daniel Holyfield. The Bears kept coming at Panhandle over the next few minute, only to be rebuffed. That is, until Barclay made it 88-88 with 2:22 on the clock and added a free throw to take the lead moments later.
 
Auston Chatman's short jumper with 1:19 showing would be the Aggies last lead of the game, 90-89. BC would make 7-of-10 free throws down the stretch and Panhandle State went without a field goal the rest of the way.
 
DK Sumo IV led the Aggies with 18 points, canning 8-of-16 from the floor, to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Maurice Waters was close behind with 17 points, bolstered by a 9-for-11 effort from the free throw stripe. Waters contributed a team-leading eight rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal to his team's effort.
 
Chatman and Jalen Williams each tallied 12 points, giving OPSU four double-digit scorers. Each also pulled down five rebound, with Williams managing three assists and three steals, as well.
 
Holyfield and Terrance Gibbons each added eight points, with Fankhouser garnering seven. Tristen Womble's six points, and three from Brett Williams, rounded out the Aggie scoring. Holyfield also grabbed six caroms and Gibbons four.
 
Panhandle will play its final game of calendar year 2019 on Friday (Dec. 13/5 p.m.) in a non-conference match-up at Calvary Bible University in Kansas City, Mo.