RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – The Ouachita Baptist University men's basketball team came out on the wrong side of a back-and-forth contest, falling to Arkansas Tech 64-58.
The game started off close with Ouachita (7-7, 5-5 GAC) taking a slim lead over Arkansas Tech (10-6, 8-2 GAC). The Tigers would try to extend the lead, but the Wonder Boys would come right back and tie it back up. Ouachita kept Tech from gaining a lead until the six-minute mark of the first half. But as soon as Tech took a lead, the Tigers answered right back with a 6-0 run over the next two minutes capped on a fastbreak layup from reigning GAC Player of the Week
Ma'Darius Hobson. Tech came back and tied it once more before the break, but Ouachita was able to put together a small run over the last two minutes for a 29-24 lead at halftime.
The second half would prove to me more back-and-forth than the first, with a total of seven lead changes and four ties. Tech came out hot, taking back their lead over the first four minutes of the half with a 9-3 run. Tech's lead grew to seven points, but the Tigers clawed right back and regained the lead on a layup from
Tylar Haynes. Ouachita held onto this lead for six minutes before both teams traded shots and changed the lead five times in the span of 40 seconds. An
Alex Scariolo free throw tied the contest at 55-55 with just over three minutes left in the game, but the Wonder Boys put together another 9-3 run over the final three minutes to take down the Tigers 64-58.
Hobson led the Tigers tonight, putting up 20 points on 8-14 shooting, including going 2-3 from three-point range. He also grabbed seven rebounds and snagged four steals, both to lead the team. Hobson has averaged scoring 22 points per game over his last three performances.
Scariolo and
Reggie Martin were next in scoring with 10 points each.
Ouachita will look to bounce back against cross-street rival Henderson State on Monday, January 23 at Bill Vining Arena.
