ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Behind double-digit scoring from five players, the Ouachita Tigers defeated the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys 94-80 on Thursday. The Tigers moved to 5-2 in the Great American Conference with the win, tying them with East Central for second place.
 
The first eight minutes of the contest featured five lead changes, before a 14-4 run from the Tigers gave Ouachita a 23-15 lead with just under 10 minutes to go in the first half. Carven Holcolmbe gave Ouachita its first double-digit lead on a layup with 6:55 left until halftime. Over the final seven minutes of the first half, Ouachita steadily increased its lead and eventually led 50-33 at the break.
 
Arkansas Tech (9-4, 4-3 GAC) outscored Ouachita (5-8, 5-2 GAC) 16-10 in the paint, but the Tigers made up for it with 12 more points off turnovers than the Wonder Boys and 71.4 percent shooting from three-point range. The Tigers were 20-32 (62.5 percent) from the field in the half, including 10-14 from deep.
 
Justin McCleary led Ouachita with 13 first-half points on 5-6 shooting. Holcolmbe added 10 points on 4-5 shooting, including 2-2 from three-point range.
 
Tirrell Brown took over early in the second half, scoring the first eight points for Ouachita. With 15:30 to play, however, Brown was forced to leave the game due to injury that came on a double technical foul. Technical fouls went to Brown and Arkansas Tech's Tyrone Haughton, with Haughton also being ejected because of a flagrant two foul.
 
Despite Brown leaving the game, Ouachita maintained its lead, never allowing the Wonder Boys to pull within 13 points. The Tigers claimed their largest lead of 21 with 8:07 to play, after two consecutive free-throws from Mahlon Martin. Ouachita then coasted to victory, eventually defeated Arkansas Tech 94-80.
 
Jordan Corbitt scored a team-high 13 points in the second half. Lakee Westbrook followed with 11 points. Ouachita did not attempt a single free-throw in the first half, but were 14-14 from the line in the second half.
 
For the game, Corbitt led the Tigers with 19 points. Corbitt did not miss a shot, converting on all five field goals and all six free-throws. Holcolmbe and Westbrook followed with 16 points each, and McCleary scored 13. Brown was the fifth Tiger to score in double-digits with 12 points.
 
The Tigers converted on 54 percent of their shots from the floor, their second highest percentage of the season. From three-point range Ouachita netted 63.2 percent, its highest three-point percentage since shooting 69.2 percent against Southern Arkansas on Jan., 2005.
 
Ouachita will continue conference play on Saturday, Jan. 16, when the Tigers travel to Searcy, Ark. to take on the first-place Harding University Bisons. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.