BETHANY, Oklahoma – The Ouachita Baptist University Men's Basketball team fought hard, cutting a 23-point deficit down to just five points, but it was not quite enough as they fell to Southern Nazarene by a score of 74-66 Thursday night.
Ouachita (4-5, 2-3 GAC) made the first shot of the game on a layup from
Tylar Haynes. This would be the Tigers' only lead as Southern Nazarene (9-2 5-0 GAC) proceeded to go on a 13-0 run over the next five minutes. Ouachita would end the Crimson Storm's run on a layup from
LaQuan Butler Jr., but SNU would maintain a double-digit lead for the remainder of the half.
The second half began similar to the first, with Southern Nazarene extending their lead to 23 points with 13 minutes left. The Tigers then came alive, going on a 15-0 tear over the next three minutes that was sparked by a three-pointer from
Ma'Darius Hobson. This run would cut the lead to single digits for the first time since the 14-minute mark of the first half. SNU answered back with a short run of their own, but the Tigers were not deterred. Ouachita kept chipping away at the Storm's lead, cutting it down to five points with 45 seconds left. But this would be as close as it came for the Tigers, as strategic fouling led to six points on free throws for Southern Nazarene in the final minute.
Kobe Dunlap would hit the final shot of the game, a three-pointer with 11 seconds left to give us our final score of 74-66.
Five Tigers would reach double-digit scoring tonight, led by
Ma'Darius Hobson with a season-high 18 points. He was followed by Butler Jr. who racked up 15 points. Dunlap was next with 11 points, and next were
Alex Scariolo and
Tylar Haynes who each had 10.
Haynes recorded his first double double of the season, putting up 11 rebounds to go along with his 10 points.
On a good note, Ouachita proved to have the stickier hands tonight, snagging 11 steals to SNU's four and turned the ball over 11 times while forcing a total of 18 turnovers from the Storm.
The Tigers will look to bounce back against the Bison of Oklahoma Baptist Saturday January 7 in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
