ARKADELPHIA — The No. 20 Ouachita men's basketball team continued to roll through Bill Vining Arena after capturing a 78-59 win Thursday night over Southwestern Oklahoma State.
The Tigers forced empty possessions on 12 of the Bulldogs' first 15 possessions and controlled the pace for over 35 minutes. Ouachita seized an early lead after junior Christian Parks denied a pair of shots, then finished a fast break with a tough layup at the rim.
After sophomore Tucker Shepherd hit a 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs a mere 7-6 edge, the Tigers responded with a 9-0 scoring run. Senior Devon Hancock drilled a pull-up jumper from inside the arc, then knocked down a pull-up three from the right wing just 40 seconds later. The Bulldogs answered back to stop the surge until Hancock unveiled his handles near the baseline as he crossed the rock between his legs and separated from his defender to drain a step-back corner three.
Ouachita took a 22-12 lead midway through the first half after junior Ryder McConnell rattled in a three from the left wing that ricocheted off the rim five times and bounced off the glass twice before it fell through the net. The Bulldogs rallied back with an 8-0 scoring run, then McConnell buried another contested three from the opposite wing to restore a slim 25-20 cushion.
Southwestern Oklahoma State responded to trim Ouachita's lead to 1-point, until Hancock checked back in and stepped into his third 3-pointer from the left wing. After the Bulldogs briefly regained a 1-point edge, sophomore Crew Flowers stepped into consecutive mid-range jumpers. Flowers finished a fast break with a tough layup through contact to cap a decisive 14-0 scoring run over the final three minutes as Ouachita took a commanding 42-29 halftime lead into the locker room.
The Tigers' floor generals took control as senior point guard PJ Neal drove baseline and fired a pass from beneath the basket to Hancock for a corner three. Moments later, Hancock returned the favor to the sharpshooter and found Flowers open for his third made shot from deep. Flowers took over the final 22 minutes of action and led the Tigers with a career-high 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the floor and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc.
Junior Gavin Snyder delivered a highlight reel alley-oop to Parks that punctuated a dominant stretch and the Tigers never looked back. Flowers scored three straight baskets to seal the win for the Tigers, driving through the heart of the Bulldogs' defense before drifting to connect on another mid-range jumper.
Ouachita improved to 17-3 overall and 13-1 in GAC play after picking up its fifth straight win. The Tigers continued a strong 10-1 start in their home slate, showcasing a balanced defensive intensity that held the Bulldogs to shooting just 38% from the floor and 24% from 3-point range, which proved to be the winning formula inside Vining Arena.
No. 20 Ouachita hosts Northwestern Oklahoma State on Saturday, with tip-off scheduled for 3 p.m.
