ADA, Oklahoma – The Ouachita men's basketball team fell to the Tigers of East Central University by the score of 76-69 on the road Saturday afternoon.
Ouachita (8-17, 6-14 GAC) started the game off with a 9-0 run over the first three-and-a-half minutes of the contest. East Central (12-15, 8-12 GAC) answered back and cut Ouachita's lead down to a single possession. Ouachita held onto its lead over the next few minutes until ECU took its first lead of the game with just over seven minutes left in the first half. With 3:23 left in the half, Ouachita tied the game at 28-28, but East Central ended the half on an 8-0 run and Ouachita went into the break trailing 36-28.
East Central pushed its lead to double digits early in the second half. Ouachita brought the game within two possessions multiple times, but ECU seemed to continuously have an answer. The two Tiger teams traded shots with ECU maintaining the advantage for the majority of the second half. A late by Ouachita brought the game within a single possession with 22 seconds left in the game, but free throws from ECU sealed the game. Ouachita fell by the final score of 76-69 in Ada.
Four purple Tigers reached double figures in scoring, led by
Tylar Haynes with 15 on 85.7 percent shooting and was followed by
Reggie Martin with 14,
Kobe Dunlap with 11, and
Emorie Knox with 10. Haynes also led the team in rebounds with eight. Martin was next with seven boards and led the team in steals with two.
The Tigers will look to get back on track on Thursday, February 29 for Ouachita's Senior Night contest against the Muleriders of Southern Arkansas University. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Bill Vining Arena.
