ARKADELPHIA – The Ouachita Baptist University men's basketball team secured a spot in the Great American Conference Tournament with a 75-61 rout of the University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils on Senior Day at Bill Vining Arena.
Ma'Darius Hobson and
LaQuan Butler Jr., the two Tiger seniors played their final game at Bill Vining Arena and were able to finish out their home careers on a high note, a win that snapped a seven-game losing streak and clinched a spot in the postseason.
The game started out with both teams exchanging leads. Ouachita (11-15, 9-13 GAC) made the first shot, but Monticello (11-17, 7-15 GAC) answered back and took a lead after the first minute-and-a-half. The Tigers and Weevils exchanged four more leads over the next five minutes before Ouachita took the lead on a free throw from
Alex Scariolo with 14 minutes left in the half, a lead that the Tigers would hold onto for the remainder of the game. UAM played hard to keep the lead within single digits most of the last 13 minutes of the first half, and shrank the lead down to just three points with four minutes left before the break. The Tigers were quick to respond, going on an 8-0 run over the next three minutes to push Ouachita's lead to double digit for the first time. A couple of free throws from
LaQuan Butler Jr. with 10 seconds left in the half gave the Tigers a 12-point, 34-22 lead at the break.
The second half saw the Weevils try to chip away at the Tigers' lead, trying to get it within single digits over the first five minutes of the half. But each time UAM shrunk the lead to under 10 points, Ouachita was quick to answer back and retake the double digit lead. With 14:41 left in the game, a layup from
Ma'Darius Hobson pushed the lead back out to 11 points, and from that point on, the Tigers would lead by at least 11 points. The Tigers' lead ballooned out to 22 points on a pair of free throws from
Reggie Martin with eight minutes left to play. The 22 point lead was the largest for Ouachita in the game. The Weevils would put together a few shots over the final eight minutes to try to rally, but the Tigers were always able to stop the run before it got out of hand. Ouachita cruised over those last few minutes to a comfortable 14-point, 75-61 win over UAM.
The Top Tiger in tonight's game was senior
Ma'Darius Hobson, putting together his first double double-of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead all scorers. The 19 points for Hobson came on 7-10 shooting and going 4-4 from the free throw line. Hobson also tied for the lead in assists with three, blocked two shots and snagged two steals.
Reggie Martin followed closely with 17 points and three assists.
LaQuan Butler Jr. was next with 13 points and four steals.
Alex Scariolo 12 points to round the top scorers.
The two Tiger seniors, Hobson and Butler each played a large role in this season, as they were the two leading scorers on the team. Butler has averaged 15.6 points per game, and Hobson was close behind averaging 14.2 points per game. Hobson has also landed himself in ninth overall in career steals in Ouachita men's basketball history with 96 steals and counting.
Ouachita secured the eight-seed in the Great American Conference Tournament thanks to today's win and SWOSU overtime loss.
The Tigers will look to conquer the mountain as they will be playing the top-seeded Crimson Storm of Southern Nazarene University in the first round of the Great American Conference Tournament on Thursday, March 2 at Firelake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Be sure to check obutigers.com to find the game time and more news for Ouachita's round one matchup.
