ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Baptist University men's basketball team dropped its game to East Central University 72-74 despite a late-game rally.
The first half saw a slow start for Ouachita (0-0, 0-0 GAC) as the Purple Tigers did not make a field goal until nearly three minutes into the game. East Central (0-0, 0-0 GAC) was not shooting much better, as they had just a 6-2 lead before Ouachita made it's first basket. (Ouachita's first points came off of a pair of free throws from
Ma'Darius Hobson.) ECU put together a few small runs to extend it's lead to double digits by the eight-minute mark of the first half. The refs let the teams play in the first half, with only a total of four fouls called in the first 20 minutes of play. Ouachita cut the lead to single digits on a
LaQuan Butler Jr. three-pointer and then cut it further down to four points before ECU pushed it right back to 11 with 2:51 left in the half. The Tigers in purple then went on a 6-0 run to close out the half and make it a five-point game going into the break down 30-25.
ECU scored first to start the second half, but Ouachita held on early to keep the difference at single digits. Ouachita and East Central traded shots for the better part of seven minutes, but ECU was able to push their lead to 10 points at the 10-minute mark. ECU's lead grew to 16 points with five minutes left to play. This is when Ouachita began to wake back and cut into ECU's commanding lead. After ECU went up by 16, Ouachita put together a 14-3 run that started with a three-pointer from Butler and was capped off with
Tylar Haynes free throws. That run made it a five-point game with 1:36 left to play. But by that point it was almost too late for Ouachita. Late fouls and free throws extended ECU's lead over the final minute and Ouachita fell 72-64.
LaQuan Butler Jr. recorded a career-high 29 points in tonight's game. Butler shot 60 percent from the field, going 4-7 from three-point range and 7-7 from the charity stripe. Those 29 points also tied a team season-high with
Ma'Darius Hobson who put up 29 points last month against NOWSU. Hobson was next on the scoring list for tonight with 12 points.
Tylar Haynes recorded his third-straight double-double, his fourth of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Haynes is one double-double away from tying his career high for double-doubles in a season.
Ouachita will look to snap its losing skid on Saturday, February 18 as they host the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State at Bill Vining Arena.
