GOODWELL, Okla. - The Oklahoma City Men's Basketball team battled back from 15 down in the first half to have a chance on the final possession as the three fell short to result in a 74-71 defeat to Oklahoma Panhandle State on Thursday night. 

TOP PERFORMERS
Avery Jackson - 20 PTS, 6 REB, 3-7 3PT
Beau Tranter - 14 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
Yorgio Golesis - 13 PTS, 5 REB, 4 STL

STAT OF THE GAME: Both teams finished 26 field goals made while sinking the same number of three with nine apiece while Panhandle held the edge with a 13-of-19 night from the free throw line while Oklahoma City finished 10-for-12 from the stripe. 

FIRST HALF: Oklahoma City found themselves quickly in a 9-0 hole four minutes in as the first Stars field goal came from Avery Jackson with 15:45 left. The Aggies built their lead to as much as 15 points in the first half leading 23-8 as Amaree Brown knocked down back-to-back triples at the halfway way point of the 20 minute period. With eight minutes to go Oklahoma City flipped a switch as Brandon Wilson ignited a 13-2 run capped off by two consecutive threes by Jackson and Beau Tranter to bring the deficit down to three. The Stars were able cut the Aggies lead to two as the half came to a close on Jackson's second three of the period sending the game into the locker room 35-33 with Panhandle leading despite being held to eight points in the final eight minutes. 

SECOND HALF: Oklahoma City snatched its first lead of the night on a Clayton Jewell slam while Tranter's fourth three of the night gave the Stars a four point lead with 16:25 remaining. Panhandle turned back around with an 8-0 run to capture control once and for all as the Aggies drove up its advantage by 11 points with 6:36 to go. Oklahoma City continued to fight putting together a 10-2 run to claw its way back as Yorgio Golesis helped bring the Stars back within two. In the final stretch Panhandle maintained control from the free throw line while Oklahoma City had one last chance to tie the game in the final seconds needing a three. Out of a timeout Golesis gave it two different tries with help from a Jewell offensive rebound but could not get the opportunity to tie to fall as OPSU escaped with a three-point win on Thursday night.   

GAME NOTES

• The Oklahoma City struggles continue as the Stars drop its seventh straight game moving to 10-14 overall and 6-14 in SAC play. 
• Avery Jackson notched his sixth game of the year with at least 20 points while sinking multiple threes for the eighth time this season. Jackson currently sits as third highest scorer in program history with 1,390 career points.
• Beau Tranter tabbed his second-highest scoring night of the season with 14 points on a season-best four threes. 
• Yorgio Golesis rattled off 12 of his 13 points in the second half as the Stars sophomore scores in double-figures for the seventh time in the previous eight games. 
• The two teams split the season-series after Oklahoma City earned a three-point win back on Dec. 5 as the Aggies snap a four-game losing streak against the Stars. 

NEXT TIME OUT: Oklahoma City stays out west to take on Wayland Baptist this Saturday, Feb. 8 at 4:00 PM in Plainview, Texas. 

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