By Logan Jones
Asst. Sports Editor
The Ranger Men’s Basketball team played three marquee matchups this past week against fifth ranked Southern Nazarene, Oklahoma Baptist and Newman University.
Overall, the men went 1-2 over the course of the three games.
NWOSU opened up GAC play against the SNU Crimson Storm, falling 80-67.
The men got off to a slow start as they trailed by 12 points only eight minutes into the game.
However, midway through the first half, the Rangers found their stride, going on a 15-0 run, giving them a 27-23 lead with five minutes remaining.
The Crimson Storm would retake the lead 3 minutes later, but the Rangers would go into halftime trailing only by four.
Despite their efforts in the first half, Northwestern just couldn’t keep up in the second.
Southern Nazarene would lead by as much as 16, and ultimately won the contest, 80-67.
The Rangers’ top scorers on the day were junior A.J. Jones with 14 points, redshirt-senior, Joseph Moorer with 13 and Bryce Cashman who scored 12.
The red and black returned to Percefull Fieldhouse on Saturday to take on the Oklahoma Baptist Bison, looking to even the score.
After a rather slow first half and trailing by the score of 29-25, the Rangers fought their way back into the game.
Northwestern erased an 11-point Bison lead before Moorer made not only the play of the game, but the play of the Rangers young season.
The redshirt-senior drained a three-point buzzer-beater giving NWOSU the lead and the win at 78-77.
“I knew JJ (Moorer) might have a little bit of magic in him today” said head coach Shawn Dirden after the win. “I got a text from his father earlier this morning and he told me that JJ’s sister who he hadn’t seen in a long time was coming to watch him play. I think that gave him an extra push tonight.”
Moorer finished the night with 23 points, four assists and four rebounds.
Other standouts include Treyvon Andres who scored 15 points with six rebounds, and Bryce Cashman who was a perfect 5-5 from the floor with 14 points.
The Rangers’ returned to the home court again on Tuesday to face opponent Newman University.
The Ranger men came out on the losing end of a close 67-62 final score.
The Rangers and Newman battled it out during the first half.
The Rangers were trailing just behind Newman for the majority of the first half.
The Rangers trailed by as many as 10 during the first half.
Despite the 12 turnovers Newman totaled in the first half, they lead with the lead at halftime, 39-36.
Northwestern dominated Newman in most of the stat areas in steals, assists and blocks.
The red and black also outscored Newman in points off turnovers and points in the paint.
The second half saw scoring close like the first half.
The Rangers and Newman tarded off leads and were only seperated by two or three points.
In the end, though, the Rangers couldn’t quite take ahold of the lead and ultimately fell 67-62.
Three Rangers found themselves with 12 points at the end of the game: Josh Peck, Treyvon Andres and Bryshon Bryant.
Peck lead with 8 rebounds while Bryant and Andres had 6 and 5 respectively.
The Ranger men look to redeem themselves as they next travel to Durant, Oklahoma to face opponent Southeastern Oklahoma State University on Nov. 8.
Tipoff is set for 3 p.m.