CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State men's basketball team came up short in a 49-46 loss to UA Fort Smith on Saturday (Jan. 21) at the Claremore Expo Center.
 
In a low-scoring grind-it-out affair, the two teams combined to shoot only 34.6 percent from the field and totaled 41 turnovers. The Hillcats were held below 50 points for only the fourth time in program history and for the first time since Nov. 11, 2013 at Northwestern Oklahoma State.  
 
Trailing by five, 49-44, with less than 2 minutes remaining, RSU had their opportunities to grind out the victory. Jeylyn Sharpe closed the gap to three points with 1:34 left after free throws for a 49-46 score. After a turnover from UAFS, the navy and red took possession with a minute remaining, but Sharpe missed a jumper with 54 seconds on the clock, and the Lions gathered the rebound.
 
Needing a stop, the Cats got one as UAFS's Marcus Wallace missed his jumper with 27 seconds left, and Johnathon Buckley grabbed the rebound. After a timeout with 19 seconds on the clock, the Hillcats had a chance to tie with a 3-pointer, but Sharpe's attempt with 3 second remaining didn't fall and time ran out on the RSU comeback.
 
To start the second half, the navy and red built up a six-point lead on a Baron Smith Jr. 3-pointer for a 29-23 score at the 16:40 mark. The advantage rose to six again on a Sharpe layup for a 31-25 margin.
 
The Lions went on an 11-0 run over the next four minutes to push out to a 36-31 lead with 11:15 remaining. After a layup to start the spurt, UAFS used three straight 3-pointers from Wallace, Seth Youngblood and DaVaunta Thomas to gain the five-point edge.
 
RSU cut the deficit to only two to 37-35 on a Smith jumper with 7:21 left, but couldn't get any closer during the final stretch.
 
Sharpe scored a game-high 21 points for the Cats. He and Smith combined to score 36 of the 46 Hillcat points. The duo finished shooting 14-of-30 from the field. Sharpe added a team-high seven rebounds.
 
UAFS's Ladarius Coleman posted a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Kyree Elder tallied 12 points as the only other Lion in double figures. Youngblood, the team's leading scorer at 15.3 points per game, was held to only five points on 2-of-9 shooting and committed five turnovers.  
 
The Hillcats stay in Claremore for two more home games starting with Texas A&M International on Thursday (Jan. 26) at 7:30 p.m. at the Claremore Expo Center. Coverage will be available on the RSU TV (35.2), 91.3 FM and the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.