ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - The Ouachita Tiger's men's basketball team fell in Shawnee, Okla. on Saturday to the Oklahoma Baptist by a final of 77-71. Matthew Ward scored a career high 22 points, 19 coming in the second half. The loss was the third straight on the road and dropped the Tigers to 8-9 overall and 6-7 in conference play.

The Tigers only shot 32 percent from the floor in the first half and trailed by 13 with only 1:52 left to play. down 33-20, the Tigers ended the first half with a 7-0 run, sparked by Matthew Ward's first three of the game with 1:40 remaining. Carven Holcolmbe went 4-4 from the free throw to close out the first half and the Tigers found themselves down by only seven, 33-27. 

Ouachita carried their first-half momentum into the second and got within three points after a bucket in the paint by Holcolmbe. Oklahoma Baptist responded and stopped an early Ouachita run. The Bison extended their lead to 16 points and with 8:53 to play led 58-42. Ouachita's offense found it's rhythm thanks to the hot hand of Ward. The sophomore shooting guard rattled off 14 straight points, including four straight three-pointers, to bring Ouachita within four. Down 60-56 with just under five minutes to play, the Tigers looked poised to take the lead.

The Bison once again answered the Tigers' challenge and with 43 seconds left to play led by 12. Ouachita's Lakee Westbrook and Mahlon Martin hit threes late and the tigers would fall by a final of 77-71.

Ouachita returns to Bill Vining Arena on Thursday, Sept. 2 to face East Central. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.