Box Score
Deoirvay Johnson scored 22 points to lead Henderson State to an 87-78 win over Southern Nazarene in Great American Conference basketball action, Saturday in Arkadelphia, Ark.
The Reddies, 6-6 overall and 2-2 in the GAC, trailed only once in the game as Quan Conner hit a 3-point field goal for SNU to put the Crimson Storm on top 10-8 with 15:23 left in the opening half.
The lead was short-lived as
Kevin Kozan answered with a long-range jumper of his own to put the Reddies back in front 11-10.
Kozan's field goal jump-started the Reddies as they outscored the Crimson Storm 16 to 2 over a five minute span as HSU built a 24-12 lead midway through the half.
Kozan scored 8 of his 14 points during the run, while
Ronald Lawson added 4 points and 3 rebounds.
Henderson State outscored SNU 17 to 11 the remainder of the half as Johnson came off the bench and scored 12 points during that stretch to lead the Reddies to a 41-23 advantage at the break.
The Reddie defense limited SNU to just seven field goals in the first 20 minutes as the Crimson Storm shot just 28 percent from the floor.
SNU, 5-6 overall and 3-2 in the GAC, started to heat up in the second half with the aid of Conner's 3-point shooting.
Conner was able to bring the Crimson Storm within striking distance by hitting five 3-pointers.
Henderson State, however, was able to hold off SNU as the Reddies converted 12 of 16 free throws in the final six minutes.
Lawson ended the game with 17 points and 7 rebounds for the Reddies, while
Taylor Smith scored 8 points and grabbed 7 boards.
Conner led SNU with 26 points, while LB Willis totaled 16.
Henderson State ended the game hitting on 32-of-63 from the field for a shooting percentage of 51, while Southern Nazarene converted on 25-of-62 shooting for 40 percent.
The Reddies will hit the road next Thursday traveling to Searcy, Ark. to face the Bisons with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. at the Rhodes Field House.
