Alder’s buzzer-beater caps Wonder Boys comeback over NWOSU

ATU Athletics 
Paul Smith, Associate Athletic Director

ALVA, Okla.– Will Adler hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, capping a furious second-half comeback in a game that saw Arkansas Tech fall behind 13-0 in the opening minutes of the contest, as the Wonder Boys basketball team (6-12, 4-8 Great American Conference) downed Northwestern Oklahoma (5-13, 3-9) 74-72 on Saturday at Percefull Fieldhouse.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Northwestern Oklahoma raced out to a 13-0 lead over the first three minutes of the contest.
• Mason Cline broke the scoring drought with a 3-pointer at the 15:48 mark.
• The Wonder Boys pulled to within nine (15-6) with 14:59 remaining in the half on another Cline 3-pointer, but NWOSU again pushed its advantage into double figures.
• NWOSU stretched its lead to as many as 15 (36-21) at the 3:44 mark of the second half and went into the half with a 11-point (43-32) advantage.
• An Alex Brown layup with 17:06 to play brought Tech within single digits (44-35) for the first time since the opening minutes of the contest.
• Tech chipped away at the Rangers lead and pulled to within one (59-58) on an RJ Glasper layup with 7:15 to play.
• After a timeout, Will Adler gave Tech its first lead of the day (61-59) on a 3-pointer with 7:07 to play.
• A pair of NWOSU free-throws at the 6:06 mark tied the game at 61-61.
• Tech stretched its lead to four (65-61) on a pair of free-throws by Mason Cline with just over five minutes to play.
• NWOSU reclaimed the lead (66-65) at the 4:09 mark on a layup by A.J. Jones.
• The Rangers extended the lead to three on a Broshon Bryant jumper with 1:55 to play, but Glasper knotted the game at 68-68 with 1:43 to play with a long 3-pointer.
• NWOSU reclaimed the lead 70-68 on the next possession on an Eric Andres layup. A subsequent free-throw pushed NWOSU’s lead to three (71-68) going into the final minute.
• Adler buried a corner 3-pointer with 41.1 seconds to play to knot the game at 71-71.
• NWOSU’s Bryce Cashman was sent to the line with 15 seconds left to put the Rangers ahead, and split a pair of free throws to give NWOSU a 72-71 lead, giving Tech an opportunity to set up Adler’s game-winning shot.

NOTABLES

• Mason Cline scored 17 of Tech’s 32 first-half points.
• NWOSU rolled to a 43-32 halftime lead on the strength of 72.7 percent shooting in the opening half. However, Tech’s defense was able to slow the Rangers in the second half to a 38.5 percent clip.
• Tech connected on 14 of 37 3-point attempts and held a 35-32 rebounding edge.
• Tech forced 13 NWOSU turnovers.
• NWOSU held a 32-18 advantage in points in the paint, while the Wonder Boys held a 12-6 advantage in points off turnovers.

NEXT UP

• The Wonder Boys will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 31, hosting East Central at Tucker Coliseum. A 7:30 p.m. tip-off is scheduled.