CLAREMORE, Okla. - Rogers State fans exited the Claremore Expo with an unfamiliar feeling Saturday night as the Hillcats were beaten on their home floor for the first time in more than a year.
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Southern Nazarene took advantage of an off-shooting night for the Cats and posted a 70-62 win, snapping an 18-game home winning streak for RSU in the process. Ironically, it was the Crimson Storm who last tasted victory in Claremore with a 62-61 decision on Feb 16, 2008.
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The Hillcats struggled to find any offense in the first half, shooting a season-low 26 percent from the field. Junior Chris Francis accounted for more than half of the offense in the opening frame with 12 points. SNU scored the final seven points of the period to lead 37-21 at the break.
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Lance Sullivan pulled RSU out of the funk with a furious rally in the closing minutes of the game. He scored 15 of his team-high 18 points in the second stanza to bring the Cats back to within striking distance. Reggie Burnett buried a long trey with 3:44 remaining to make it a five-point game. However, SNU's A.J. Thomas answered with a pull-up jumper and a trey of his own to push the margin back to 10 in a hurry.
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Sullivan cut the deficit to four with a driving layup in the final minute, but it wasn't enough. RSU missed its final four shots of the game and the Crimson Storm converted four free throws to reach the final margin. Thomas led all scorers with 19 points.
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The Hillcats were shorthanded for the third consecutive game with Maurice Rutherford and Matt Kellogg sidelined due to injury. Coach Lloyd Williams was dealt another blow when Francis went down with an injury at the 8:21 mark of the second half and could not return. SNU exploited the Cats' depth issues by using 11 players and outscoring the RSU bench, 28-4.
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Rogers State (5-3, 0-2) will look to rebound next week when it hosts John Brown in the final conference game of the fall semester. Tip-off from the Claremore Expo is slated for 8 p.m. and the game will be carried live on RSU Public Television and RSU Radio 91.3 FM.
