By RANGERS ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
The Northwestern Oklahoma State men’s basketball team saved their best performance of the season for the final game as they set season highs in nearly every offensive category in a 112-86 victory over Ouachita Baptist.
The Rangers closed out their season with a game that included multiple records broken as points came early and often. The season-high in points scored for the Rangers was the third most points scored by a team in a game in the Great American Conference all season. The 62 percent (31-of-50) shooting percentage from the floor was the best percentage a team has shot in a conference game this season. The 19 three pointers the Rangers converted on now stands as the most any team in the conference has made this year.
Along with imprinting their team name across multiple scoring ranks in the conference this season, two Rangers etched their names in the record books with their performances. A season-high 33 points from senior Adrian Motley along with eight rebounds established his name atop the school’s all-time defensive rebounding list (533). Motley also moved into second place on the school’s all-time free throws made list while junior Brandon Green has now produced the most assists in a single season in a Ranger uniform with 172, while moving into second all-time in the category.
The exciting afternoon of Ranger basketball started by honoring four seniors that finished up their careers in style. Motley’s 33 point performance could possibly earn him the league’s scoring title depending on how the rest of the afternoon’s game shake up while fellow senior Deiondray Martin netted a season-high 21 points in his final game in a Ranger uniform. Senior Austin Klug also finished his career inside Percefull Fieldhouse with a bang, hitting his first career three pointer as a Ranger in just his second attempt, making him a career 50 percent shooter from behind the arc.
Junior Cody Halvorson joined in on the fun and filled up the stat sheet as well with 27 points, including hitting 8-of-9 three pointers during the game. As a team the Rangers hit 19-of-29 from long range, and out rebounded the Tigers by a final total of 30-to-27.
The incredible shooting percentage from the Rangers never allowed the Tigers to keep pace in the contest. Northwestern jumped out to a 60-37 lead at halftime and led by as many as 45 in the second half.