MAGNOLIA, Ark. - An overtime thriller on Saturday ended in a 73-71 loss for the Tigers against the Southern Arkansas Muleriders. 

The Muleriders led the entire first half, until the Tigers started an 8-3 run that ended in a layup from Sterling Bailey with 5:43 left to play. Bailey's bucket gave Ouachita a 29-28 lead. The Tigers were able keep the lead and went into halftime ahead 35-30.

Colt Fason kept the Tigers in the ball game in the first half, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight boards in just 16 minutes. Bailey also finished the half scoring in double-digits, adding 10. The Tigers only shot 36.4% from the field compared to SAU's lights out shooting of 50%, but the Tigers scored 15 second-chance points off of 17 offensive rebounds. Ouachita grabbed 28 total boards in the half and allowed SAU to grab only 11. 

In the second half, the Tigers maintained their lead until the 15-minute mark when the Muleriders claimed a 39-37 lead. The final 15 minutes featured eight ties and five lead changes. With 10 seconds left, Fason went to the free-throw line and made two of two to give the Tigers a two-point lead. The Muleriders responded, however, with a layup from Tyrell Taylor that sent the game into overtime. 

SAU grabbed the first lead in overtime and extended it to five points with less than three minutes to play. A 6-0 run by the Tigers over the next two minutes, capped by a two-point jumper from David Day, put Ouachita back on top, 71-70. The Muleriders went to Taylor once again, who put SAU on top 73-71 with a layup plus a free-throw with five seconds remaining. A last-second three from Micah Delph did not fall, ending the game with the Muleriders on top.

Taylor scored 14 points in the second half and finished with an SAU-high 18. Alre'k Brown followed Taylor with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Muleriders shot 47.1% from the field.

Fason led all players with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Delph and Bailey finished with 14 points each. The Tigers were able to out-rebound the Muleriders 50-30, but their 23 turnovers gave SAU 35 points off turnovers.

The Tigers (6-11, 3-8) are at home on Thursday, Jan. 30, to take on Southeastern Oklahoma State at 7:30 p.m.