The UCO men’s basketball team, using a late spark from Brent Friday, defeated longtime rival Northeastern State on Saturday evening at Hamilton Fieldhouse.

Friday received an alley-oop pass from Tyler Phillips at the 8:57 mark in the second half to pull the Bronchos to within a basket 41-43. The dunk sent the crowd into frenzy and the Bronchos took advantage to make their final run.

Friday would sink a 3-pointer shortly after and then make a layup while drawing a foul. After sinking that free throw, UCO was on top, and then Phillips sank another 3-pointer and the Bronchos never looked back on their way to a 59-52 win.

The crowd saw the same excitement as soon as the game began. After Josh Davis started the game with a pair of free throws, the Bronchos employed a full-court press, forcing a turnover that led to a Shane Carroll 3-pointer.

The home team kept the pedal to the metal pressuring and hoisting three pointers. A layup plus the foul shout by Phillips extended the Bronchos lead to 17-2 at the 16:22 mark in the opening half.

NSU would work their way into the game. They got their first basket of the contest after Justin Johnson hit a 3-pointer, and got some more help from Ethan Anderson and John Schneider.

Ronald Norfleet made a layup for the Bronchos at the 7:43 mark in the first half to give them a 27-18 lead. The Bronchos wouldn’t see another basket go through the hoop for over 15 minutes, almost the midway point of the second half.

Head Coach Terry Evans could only sigh. Evans said after the game that it was hard to believe.

When asked how the team managed through the drought he said, “Defense. I’m really proud of our D.” Evans would go on to say that defense is what won the game for the Bronchos.

During the field goal drought the Bronchos missed an astounding 16 straight 3-pointers.

Evans said that happens sometimes. “In the first half we were 4 for 16, if we make 4 more, that changes the whole game,” he said.

UCO's Tyler Phillips (11) drives the ball passed Northeastern's Ethan Anderson (33) during a game between UCO and Northeastern State at Hamilton Field House, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2012. Photo by Garett Fisbeck, The Vista

Highlighting the night for the Riverhawks was Anderson. NSU took advantage of the Bronchos inability to make a shot and built a solid lead in the second half.

They trailed by three at the break and came out playing hard, gaining their first lead at the 18 minute mark after a layup by Anderson. Their biggest lead was six when Anderson hit his fifth of six 3-pointers.

Friday led all Broncho scorers with 21 points, more than a third of the total contribution. Phillips and Carroll each had a pair of three’s and finished with 11 and 10 respectively.

Davis finished with six as did Norfleet. Spencer Smith added five.

The Bronchos improved to 11-10 on the season with five games remaining. They’ll have their biggest layoff of the season, waiting 14 days before traveling to Tahlequah for a rematch with the Riverhawks for the third of four meetings.

UCO leads the season series 2-0.