Coker Falls to Lees-McRae in Overtime 72-68
January 21, 2012

Coker Falls to Lees-McRae in Overtime 72-68

The Coker men's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 72-68 overtime loss to Lees-McRae College on Saturday in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action.

Box Score

BANNER Elk, N.C. – Coker junior guard Bryce Arnott (Melbourne, Australia) scored a season high 14 points in the Cobras heartbreaking 72-68 overtime loss to Lees-McRae on Saturday afternoon. 

The Cobras and the Bobcats found themselves deadlocked at 64 when the buzzer sounded at the end of regulation thanks to a Lees-McRae three-pointer with just nine seconds left. The Bobcats took a quick five-point lead in the extra period, holding the 70-65 advantage with 1:26 remaining. The Cobras managed to pull within a basket, courtesy of a Jonathon Gardner (Florence, S.C.) three ball with 48 seconds left, making it a 70-68 ballgame.

That unfortunately would be as close as the Cobras would get, as missed shots and turnovers, along with a pair of Bobcat free throws with just seconds left on the clock would lead to the 72-68 Lees-McRae victory. 

Coker trailed by as much as 11 points in the first half, only to battle back and even the score at 31-31 at halftime. The Cobras then held the lead for much of the second half, including holding a 10-point advantage with just under four minutes remaining in regulation. The Bobcats then made their own comeback, tying the game and taking the eventual win.

Arnott also had six rebounds to go along with his team leading 14 points, while Charles West (Ellenwood, Ga.) had 10 points. Gardner finished with nine points and Sharod Williams (Miami, Fla.) had a game high 11 rebounds with seven points.

Coker will return to the floor on Tuesday, Jan. 24 when they host the Pfeiffer University Falcons in a game sponsored by Wells Fargo. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.