CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State men's basketball team rode out a double-digit lead in the second half picking up a dramatic 78-75 victory over St. Edward's Thursday at the Claremore Expo in the first-ever meeting between the Heartland Conference opponents.

After the Hilltoppers opened with a 12-6 advantage, the Hillcats stormed back to score 14 of the game's next 17 points to jump in front 20-15 with 11 minutes remaining in the opening stanza and never trailed the rest of the night.

RSU stretched its lead to double figures after a J.C. Hartzler three pointer and led by as many 12 points before taking a 45-36 lead into the halftime break behind Robinson Odoch Opong's 15 points.

The Hillcats held their advantage in the second half and maintained a comfortable 10-point advantage 74-64 with 5:37 to play following a three pointer by Jeylyn Sharpe. SEU tightened on the defensive end and cut the deficit to one after John Rutherford hit a long-range three making the score 74-73.

RSU did not break as Damion Hooks and Hartzler each knocked home a pair of free throws down the stretch sealing the conference victory, 78-75, as the team ended the game shooting 85 percent (23-of-27) from the charity stripe.

Odoch Opong finished with a game-high 23 points hitting 4-of-9 from behind the arc while Hooks added 19 points for the Hillcats. Three other players scored nine points for RSU and the team swatted away five shots getting two blocks from Josh May.

Ramir Burton netted 21 points to lead four Hilltopper players in double figures as the team scored 40 points inside the paint. Harley Nussman registered a double-double for SEU with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.