SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Ottawa University men's basketball nearly completed a late comeback Thursday night but fell in heartbreaking fashion, as Evangel University converted two free throws with two seconds remaining to secure a 73–72 win at AGFinancial Arena.

First Half
Evangel jumped out early behind hot perimeter shooting, knocking down four three-pointers in the opening minutes to take a 9–3 lead. Ottawa settled in offensively behind Micah Willis, who scored consistently attacking the lane and from deep.

The Braves trimmed the deficit to two points midway through the half and continued to battle despite several technical fouls that helped Evangel extend its advantage at the line. A late three-pointer by Ty Campbell pushed the Crusaders' lead back to nine, sending Ottawa into the locker room trailing 40–31 at halftime. Second Half
Ottawa responded with strong defensive pressure and efficient offense to open the second half. Willis and Landyn Tyler led a surge that cut the margin to four within the first three minutes.
Midway through the half, the Braves went on a 13–3 run, highlighted by a three-pointer from Adam Barbieri and baskets from Elijah Mason and Jackson Esary, to tie the game at 59–59 with 5:40 remaining.

Ottawa briefly grabbed the lead at the 5:04 mark on a Mason layup and free throw, its largest advantage of the night. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, with the score tied at 72–72 following a Tyler bucket with five seconds left.

Evangel answered by drawing a foul with two seconds remaining, converting both free throws to take the lead for good as Ottawa's final look fell short at the buzzer. Game Stats Breakdown
Team Stats
• FG%: Ottawa 56.9% (29–51) | Evangel 39.3% (22–56)
• 3PT FG: Ottawa 4–13 (30.8%) | Evangel 11–25 (44.0%)
• FT: Ottawa 10–12 (83.3%) | Evangel 18–23 (78.3%)
• Rebounds: Ottawa 28 | Evangel 29
• Turnovers: Ottawa 13 | Evangel 10

Ottawa Individual Leaders
• Points: Micah Willis – 21
• Rebounds: Jackson Harding – 10
• Assists: Landyn Tyler – 5

Other Ottawa Scorers
• Jackson Harding – 12 points
• Elijah Mason – 13 points
• Landyn Tyler – 11 points

Who is Next
Ottawa (10-11, 6-9) returns to the court on Saturday, January 31 at McPherson College. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.