ADA, Oklahoma – The Ouachita men's basketball team opened Great American Conference play with a 77-67 loss to East Central University Thursday night on the road.
Ouachita (5-2, 0-1 GAC) went back-and-forth with East Central (4-3, 1-0 GAC) top open up the Thursday night conference opener. The two Tiger teams posted 10 lead changes and three ties over the first eight-and-a-half minutes of action that saw Ouachita and ECU tied at 18-18. Both teams continued to trade shots, ties, and lead changes as neither side led by more than five points throughout the first half. The purple Tigers took a one-point lead with 47 seconds left, but East Central scored 23 seconds later and Ouachita went into halftime trailing 33-35.
The second half looked like it was going to go just like the first, with three lead changes and two ties in the first three minutes. However, East Central found a rhythm for a 10-0 run over the next four minutes to go up 49-39. From that point, Ouachita cut the deficit down to within two possessions multiple times, but it was not enough. ECU held onto its lead and Ouachita fell in its GAC opener 77-67.
Hobert Grayson led the Tigers with 21 points and 14 rebounds, his fifth double-double of the season.
Reggie Martin was next with 11 points to round out the Tigers with double-digit points.
Grayson also led the team in rebounds with 14,
Devyn Franklin was second with 10 boards, a season high.
PJ Neal led the Tigers in assists with three.
The Tigers will look to bounce back on Saturday, December 7 when they take on the Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma State University at 3 p.m. in Durant, Oklahoma.
