MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Ouachita men's basketball team earned its fifth straight win Saturday to close the calendar year on a strong note with a 66-51 victory over Southern Arkansas at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
Over the past two weeks, Ouachita (9-2, 5-0 GAC) has held three of its last four Great American Conference opponents to their lowest scoring output of the 2025-26 season. Southern Arkansas joined the list of teams struggling to find the net against the suffocating fifth-ranked scoring defense in Division II as the Muleriders shot an ice cold 29% from the floor and just 13% from deep.
Senior guard Devon Hancock buried a 3-pointer to finish a 7-0 scoring run that pushed Ouachita in front with an early lead. Hancock scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds and delivered three assists in the road win.
Sophomore guard Crew Flowers led the Tigers with a game-high 16 points on an effective 4-for-6 shooting from the floor. Flowers made his presence felt on the defensive end, securing key rebounds to terminate SAU possessions and help fuel transition opportunities with aggressive attacks. Ouachita closed the opening half with momentum on a late three from Flowers to take a 33-24 lead into the locker room.
Freshman guard Jaxon Conley attacked the glass to create second-chance opportunities and posted his first collegiate double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Junior forward Christian Parks controlled the interior with a season-high six blocks to improve his season total to 29, which ranks seventh nationally among Division II players.
Flowers hit his second 3-pointer midway through the second half to cap another decisive scoring run that stretched the Tigers lead to its largest margin at 52-36. The Tigers forced 16 turnovers and finished with 23 fast break points, repeatedly turning defense into offense. Senior guard PJ Neal scored 13 points, while pacing the transition offense driving inside to finish through contact and dishing out three assists.
The Tigers have two weeks off before hitting the road to continue GAC play with a men's and women's basketball double-header at Arkansas Tech on Jan. 3 in Russellville.
