FORT SMITH, Ark. - After holding a 13-point lead at the half, Rogers State men's basketball (12-5, 3-2 MIAA) survived a hot-shooting second half by Arkansas Fort Smith (6-8, 0-5 MIAA) to escape with the 79-76 win on Wednesday.

Four Hillcats finished in double figures in the win. Anthony Marshall Jr. led the way with a season-high 22 points, shooting 7-for-11 from the field and 7-for-8 from the foul line, along with a team-high four assists, three rebounds and two steals. Kofi Hamilton posted his second-straight double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds to go with two assists and a block. Both Caden Fry and Benard Omooria contributed 10 points apiece. 

The opening moments were tight with RSU dashing out to a 6-0 start only for the Lions to answer with a 7-0 run to set things at 7-6 five minutes and half minutes in. The teams continued to trade buckets with six lead changes in the first half. With just over seven and half minutes left in the period, the Hillcats began to pull away as they put together a 23-5 run to take their largest lead of the game 38-21 and carried a 38-25 advantage into the break.

In the second half, UAFS came alive as they immediately went to work trimming the deficit with a 10-4 run out of the locker room to get the margin down to 42-35. RSU responded and pushed the lead back out to 51-37. Another 8-2 run got the Lions within 53-45 with just under 11 minutes left. From there it a was fight as both teams matched each other shot for shot over the next few minutes. With 1:07 left on the clock and down 73-61, UAFS engineered a 9-1 run to cut it to a two-possession ballgame at 74-70 with 29 seconds left. Thanks to made free throws down the stretch, they got within one point at 77-76 with five seconds remaining. However, Omooria would sink two free throws of his own to spoil the comeback and secure the 79-76 victory.

The Hillcats will be back in action on Saturday, Jan. 11 as they travel to Tahlequah, Okla. to face off against arch rival Northeastern State. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m.