BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – In the first round of the GAC Men's Basketball Championships the Ouachita Tigers fell to the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm 61-49.

The Tigers kept things close for the first ten minutes of the ball game, but SNU caught fire to close the half with a 10-point lead. The Tigers played well on the defensive end but was unable to keep pace with the Crimson Storm in the second half.

Kendarious Smith led the Tigers with 15 points. In Eric Brown's final game as a Tiger he put up a double-double with 12 points and 13 boards.

Micah Speight led SNU with 24 points.

SNU came into the matchup heavily favored as the Crimson Storm racked up numerous GAC accolades. Despite the disparity in awards, Ouachita did not seem intimidated as the Tigers matched SNU basket for basket in the early going.

The Tigers kept pace in the first ten minutes, but the Crimson Storm started to grow its lead down the stretch. SNU's largest lead of the first half was 18.

Despite the Tiger's hustle on the defensive end, Micah Speight managed to shoot 6-7 from beyond the arc. The Tigers cut SNU's lead to 10 in the final minute of the first half.

At the break, the Tigers were down 38-28.

SNU came out of half time with the same pace it played towards the end of the first half.

With about six to play the Tigers cut the deficit to nine. Despite the Tigers cutting into the Crimson Storm's lead, momentum never shifted in favor of the Tigers.

SNU closed things out with a 12-point victory.

Ouachita rounded out its season at 12-16 overall and 9-13 in regular season GAC play. The Tigers made a sixth straight tournament appearance, but will look to make a deeper run next season.

For all things Tiger basketball continue to stay tuned to obutigers.com.