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Rocky Mountain College Athletics

Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears

Events and Results

Events and Results

McCoy vs ACU '24
Jacob Jewett
62
Dickinson State (ND) DSU 6-6, 1-0
63
Winner Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY 11-2, 0-0
Dickinson State (ND) DSU
6-6, 1-0
62
Final
63
Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY
11-2, 0-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Dickinson State (ND) DSU 36 26 62
Rocky Mountain (MT) ROCKY 35 28 63

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Brandon Stinson | Sports Information & Media Coordinator

McCoy’s Game Winner Seals (RV) Rocky Men’s Basketball’s 63-62 Victory Over Dickinson State

BILLINGS, Mont.- Carter McCoy leaped over the defense for a tip-in with two seconds left to secure Rocky's fifth straight victory heading into Frontier Conference play next week. 

An exciting matchup that featured seven ties and 13 lead changes was capitalized by a strong finish that stunned the Blue Hawks, as the Battlin' Bears closed the game on a 9-4 run. A season-low 17.6% shooting from three-point range was nullified by a strong defensive effort that held Dickinson State to just 35% shooting from the field, giving Rocky serious momentum to close out their non-conference schedule.

How it Happened
Carter McCoy got Rocky going early offensively, scoring six of Rocky's first nine points in the opening five minutes. The Blue Hawks quickly had their answer, putting together an 11-0 run to grab the lead back under ten minutes remaining in the first half. After both teams dealt with a cold stretch offensively, another 9-0 run for Dickinson State extended their lead to eight with two minutes remaining following an and-one layup from Kose Egbule, who had 11 points in the first half. The Battlin' Bears bounced back to give themselves momentum going into halftime, as they ended the first half on a 7-0 run, closing their deficit to one going into the break. 

The second half was an exciting, physical matchup that saw neither team extend a lead larger than four. Going into the final stretch, Jaylon Lee sank a pair of free throws with 1:35 remaining on the clock to cut Rocky's deficit to one point after a nearly two-minute dry spell. Kose Egbule drained another big shot for the Blue Hawks on the following possession after an offensive rebound to give Dickinson State another three-point lead. 

Free throw shooting was crucial down the stretch for Rocky, as Jesse Owens was fouled on the next offensive possession for the Battlin' Bears, and he proceeded to knock both shots down to cut the Blue Hawk lead back down to one. After Omari Nesbit came down with the rebound following a missed three-pointer from Dickinson State, the Battlin' Bears controlled the ball for a final shot. Jesse Owens and Carter McCoy engaged in a pick and roll, which gave Owens a lane to drive to the hoop. After his layup rolled off the front of the rim, McCoy skied for an offensive rebound and a put-back layup with two seconds remaining, giving the Battlin' Bears a one-point lead. Dickinson State had an opportunity for a last-second shot, but it was no good, giving Rocky their 11th win of the season and their fifth straight victory.  


Notable Statistics
Jesse Owens was Rocky's leading scorer, totaling 15 points, ten of which were in the second half, along with five assists and two steals. In addition to his game-winning bucket, Carter McCoy added 12 points and five assists, while Jaylon Lee had another dominant game on the boards, grabbing 15 rebounds and adding ten points. 

Sunday's win was the season's first game in which Rocky didn't outright win the rebounding battle, as team rebounds were knotted up at 39-39. The back-and-forth matchup was reflected in the box score throughout, as both teams finished with 12 turnovers, and the foul discrepancy favored the Battlin' Bears by just one. 

Kose Egbule was the game's leading scorer, totaling 19 points for the Blue Hawks, along with 12 rebounds and two steals. 

Up Next
The Battlin' Bears (11-2) begin Frontier Conference action at home against No. 6-ranked Montana Tech on Saturday, January 4th, at 4:00 pm (MT). 
 
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