Field Level Media
Dec 11, 2021
Baylor Scheierman made a step-back 3-pointer at the final buzzer Saturday afternoon to give South Dakota State a 77-74 nonconference victory over Washington State on a neutral court in Spokane, Wash.
Noah Freidel scored 23 points for the Jackrabbits (9-3), Zeke Mayo came off the bench to add 17 points and Scheierman had 11 points and a game-high eight rebounds.
With the Cougars trailing 74-70, Flowers appeared to make a step-back 3-pointer with 31.6 seconds left, but a video review determined his right foot was on the 3-point line, making the score 74-72.
WSU's Noah Williams stole the ball in the backcourt and fed Bamba, who was fouled while attempting a layup. He made both free throws to tie it at 74-all with 23 seconds left.
The Jackrabbits held the ball for a final shot and Scheierman got the ball at the top left of the key. WSU defender Andrej Jakimovski slipped, allowing Scheierman to step back for an uncontested shot on the winner.
Michael Flowers led the Cougars (7-3) with 24 points and five assists, and TJ Bamba added 19 points.
Williams, the Cougars' primary scorer, was limited to six points on 1 of 9 shooting from the field.
WSU rallied from 10-point deficits in both halves.
Bamba scored eight points in the opening 5:55 of the game to give the Cougars a 16-8 lead. SDSU responded with an 8-0 run and tied on 3 by Scheierman with 11:34 to go in the half.
Tied at 20, Mayo's 3-point baskets on consecutive possessions in a 1:10 span enabled the Jackrabbits to gain control, and they led by eight at the half.
After trailing at the intermission (39-31) for the first time this season, the Cougars opened the second half with an 8-0 run, on 3-pointers by Flowers and DJ Rodman and a driving layup by Flowers that tied the score at 39.
WSU took the lead and expanded it to 50-44 on Matt DeWolf's layup with 13:38 to go.
But the Jackrabbits responded with a 7-0 run, sparked by Freidel's 3-pointer and capped by his driving layup. they and eventually extended the lead to 64-54 on a pair of Friedel free throws with 6:33 remaining.
The Cougars scrambled back. Williams made his first field goal, a 3-pointer with 6:11 remaining, and Flowers also made a 3-ball, and a driving layup by Bamba pulled them to within 68-66 with 3:33 left.
--Field Level Media