EMMIE BOESE
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Sophomore forward Ray Jordan only scored four points for Odessa College this afternoon but he capitalized when it mattered most. Jordan scored the game winning basket for Odessa with 20 seconds left on the clock against No.4 Vincennes. The No. 13 Wranglers beat the Vincennes University Trailblazers 58-56 Tuesday.
Odessa and Vincennes traded baskets back and forth in the first half. Both teams even had similar stat lines. Vincennes led after the first half by one, 28-27, and scored four points off of turnovers compared to Odessa who scored zero off of turnovers.
Sophomore guard Willie Lightfoot hit the first shot of the second on a 3-point jumper to give Odessa a 30-28 lead. Freshman forward for Vincennes, Damarien Yates matched with a 3-point jumper which put Vincennes back in the lead 31-30. Sophomore guard Kent King set the pace for Vincennes to extend the lead on a dunk 33-30 .
However, Odessa answered from there and took the lead for the rest of the game. Lightfoot contributed greatly for Odessa by knocking down 12-15 free throws overall. Several free throws were down the stretch in the second.
With 50 seconds left in the game, a foul was called on Odessa's freshman guard Esyah Pippa-White and the Trailblazers knocked down a free throw to make it a three point game. Vincenne's sophomore forward Michael Osei-Bonsu scored on a layup to put them down by one (56-55) with 48 seconds to go and then hit a free throw a second later to make it a 56-56 tie.
Odessa took the ball down the floor with 21 seconds left. Lightfoot missed on a layup and Jordan grabbed the rebound and dunked it to seal the win. Vincennes had one more possession but the game ended there.
The Trailblazers have the most victories in NJCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship history as of last year. Their season ends at 30-4.
Lightfoot led both teams in scoring with 25 points. Sophomore guard Brandon Maclin had 12 for Odessa. Yates led Vincennes with 22 points and King had 12.
Odessa will play the winner of No.5 Indian Hills and No.21 Wallace State on Wednesday, March 27 at 5 p.m. in the quarterfinals.
Glen Grunwald and Rick Kraus will have the game play-by-play on Country 102.9 and KWBW 1450 AM/98.5 FM.