BOLIVAR, Mo. – Devon Branch broke a 72-72 tie by making one of two free throws with 11.5 seconds remaining in regulation and the Pittsburg State University defense prevented Southwest Baptist University from taking a potential game-winning shot in the waning seconds as the Gorillas claimed a 73-72 win over the Bearcats Saturday (Dec. 20).
 
Pitt State (5-4, 2-0 MIAA) rallied from a 16-point deficit, 53-37, with 16:17 to play in the game against SBU (5-7, 1-3 MIAA).
 
The Gorillas, who were plagued by 12 first-half turnovers, turned the tables on the Bearcats in the second half by forcing SBU into 13 giveaways in the final 20 minutes of play.
 
Pitt State turned the turnovers into transition points and the Gorillas punched back with a 15-1 run to turn a 62-48 deficit with 8:47 remaining to a 64-63 lead on Branch's layup with 4:41 to go.
 
The game see-sawed back-and-forth down the stretch.
 
SBU took a 70-68 led on Daymond Cowlah's jumper with 1:23 remaining, but Branch answered with a basket with 1:09 to play to knot the score.
 
Finn Delaney's put-back basket gave SBU a 72-70 lead with 45 seconds remaining, but Denton Hays' putback of a Connor Kjer missed 3-pointer tied it up at 72-72 with 34 seconds to play.
 
With SBU holding for a final shot, Branch forced Menas Stephens into a turnover. He was fouled en route to the basket and made the second of two free throws with 11.5 seconds remaining.
 
With just five Pitt State team fouls to that point, Josiah Gustafson fouled the Bearcats with 6.0 seconds remaining. Both teams traded timeouts to set up the final sequence. The Bearcats got the ball to Derrick Stewart who flipped it to Cowlah in the waning seconds, but he was unable to get up a shot before the final horn sounded.
 
Branch led all scorers with 20 points, while Kjer and Hays added 11 apiece. Javis Flynn also chipped in with 10 points and seven steals.
 
Delany led three SBU players in double figures with 16 points. Cowlah added 13 points, while Stephens posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
 
The Gorillas, winners of four straight games, will return to action on Dec. 31 when they host Arkansas Tech University in a non-conference tilt at 2 p.m. at John Lance Arena.