ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Tenth-ranked Midwestern State's Khapri Alston knocked down a contested lay-up with four seconds remaining to break a 73-73 tie and steal away a win at Bill Vining Arena over the Ouachita Tigers, 75-73. Ouachita's Justin McCleary led all scorers with 20 points. Point guard David Berete scored 17 points and pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds. Lakee Westbrook added 17 points for the Tigers.

A back-and-forth second half saw six total ties and lead changes by both teams. The Tigers built it's largest lead of the first half on a 9-2 run to give Ouachita a 32-25 lead with 5:28 remaining in the half. Midwestern State responded and tied the game at 36-36 with 1:29 remaining. Turnovers and missed shots plagued both teams in the final minute. A Midwestern fastbreak layup off a Tiger missed three gave them the two-point lead to end the first half, 38-36.

McCleary paced the Tigers in the first half with a perfect 3-3 shooting from the floor and 2-2 from the free throw line for 10 points. Berete added nine points and a team-high seven first-half rebounds. As a team, the Tigers shot 40 percent from beyond the arc in the first half and an uncharacteristically low 52 percent from the free-throw line.

The Tigers came out cold to start the second half. Missed shots and turnovers put the Tigers down 13 midway through second half, trailing 62-49 with 9:28 remaining. A 12-2 run by the Tigers cut the Midwestern lead to three, 62-61. Two threes by Lakee Westbrook and crucial free throw by Carven Holcombe brought the Tigers back within striking distance.

Failing to capitalize on a couple of Midwestern turnovers, the Tigers found themselves again down by eight points with just under five minutes remaining. Westbrook knocked down a another three and McCleary converted on a layup and one opportunity to make it a two-point game, trailing 69-67. Back-to-back Tiger layups off of two Midwestern turnovers made it a one-point game. With 27 seconds remaining, the Tigers trailed 72-71.

Midwestern's Brandon Golden missed the front end of a two-shot foul opportunity and made the second to put the Tigers down by two. With 19 seconds remaining, Ouachita's Jordin Corbitt was fouled and sent to the line. The sophomore guard sank both free throws to tie the game, 73-73. After a Midwestern timeout, they moved the ball up the court and put it in the hands of Alston. He laid the ball up and in over two Tiger defenders with four seconds remaining. A desperation three attempt,by the Tigers fell short and the Tigers lost, 75-73.

As a team, the Tigers shot 40 percent from the floor and 38 percent from beyond the arc. The Tigers were a perfect 11-11 from the charity stripe in the second half.

In his first action of the season, Carven Holcombe scored five points, grabbed six rebounds and added two assists and two blocks to his stat totals. Aitor Lopez-Breton scored five and gathered in five boards. He Oslo had two blocks in the game.