ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Ouachita Tigers remained tied for the top spot in the Great American Conference with their eighth straight win on Thursday, defeating the Oklahoma Baptist Bison 78-66. Tirrell Brown scored a game-high 19 points in the victory.
 
Ouachita (10-8, 10-2 GAC) struggled from the floor early in the contest, as Oklahoma Baptist (5-11, 1-11 GAC) led for 14 minutes of the 20-minute first half. The Tigers came alive, however, with a 13-0 run that started with a three by Lakee Westbrook that tied the game at 24. The streak lasted nearly three minutes and put Ouachita ahead 37-24 with 1:47 to play in the half.
 
After a layup from the Bison with three seconds until the break, Ouachita entered halftime with a 39-30 lead. The Tigers finished the period with a 51.7 percent field-goal percentage, including 5-9 from three-point range. Oklahoma Baptist was just 45 percent from the field, and the Bison attempted nine less shots that the Tigers due to 12 turnovers.
 
Brown and Justin McCleary each scored nine points in the half, as Ouachita outscored Oklahoma Baptist on points off turnovers (19-6), second-chance points (5-0), bench points (18-7), and points in the paint (18-12).
 
In the second half, Ouachita strengthened its lead to 18 on a McCleary three-pointer with 15:23 to play, and Allen Buchanan gave the Tigers their largest lead of 19 on a layup with 9:49 remaining. Oklahoma Baptist would not go away, however, cutting the deficit to just six on a 9-0 run with just 1:19 left in the half. The Tigers would net all six free-throw attempts in the final 37 seconds, though, and Ouachita earned the 12-point win.
 
Brown led the Tigers with 10 points in the half, followed by Westbrook with seven. Ouachita forced 10 turnovers in the half while committing just four to outscore the Bison 13-6 in points off turnovers in the period. For the game, Ouachita had 20 more points off turnovers.
 
The Tigers return to action on Saturday, Jan. 30, at 3 p.m., as Ouachita hosts Southern Nazarene University. Tipoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. Former Ouachita men's basketball coach Bill Vining will be honored with the Coach Bill Vining Legacy Wall, at halftime of the game, in the lobby of Bill Vining Arena.