Jan. 20, 2008

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SHAWNEE, Okla. -- No. 6 Oklahoma Baptist went on lock-down defensively Saturday (Jan. 19) in the 61-47 win over No. 12 Southern Nazarene (Okla).

The sixth-ranked Bison held the Crimson Storm to 31.6 percent shooting on the night.

"We held their top three-point shooter to no three pointers for the first time in four years," said OBU guard Brent Jones.

That shooter, senior Brent Kimmel, missed all four of his attempts from behind the arch, and scored eight of his 14 from the free-throw line. Jones guarded Kimmel all night and Evan Grace held Brandon Durham, their leading scoring, to seven points.

"That team, I think they're leading the league in scoring and Kimmel always plays well against us," said OBU coach Doug Tolin.

The Crimson Storm average 78 points a game and the Bison held them to 47, one more than the season low for a Bison opponent this season. OBU held Texas Wesleyan and Manhattan Christian to 46 points earlier in the year.

OBU never trailed as they battled early in the first half. They made an 8-2 run at the end of the half for a 28-20 lead.

Free-throw shooting helped the Bison all game long, as they made 18 of their 19 attempts.

"Evan Grace missed one down there at the end," said Tolin. "All you have to do is make two and we make them all."

Brian Hill made his three shots from the charity stripe, remaining perfect in conference play from the line.

Jones scored a game-high 16, Al Moore scored 14 and Aaron Perez came off the bench to put in 10.

On a day where the four first-place teams play one another, OBU (15-2) joins Oklahoma City atop the Sooner Athletic Conference after OCU beat Wayland Baptist 74-63, both 7-2 in SAC play.

The Bison make a road trip to Texas next week, playing Lubbock Christian Thursday at 8 p.m. and Wayland Baptist Saturday at 3 p.m.