SAU Sports Information
ARKADELPHIA – Trailing by six points with 1:13 left in the game, Southern Arkansas' Keeton Tennison connected on a pair of three-pointers to pull SAU even with Ouachita, 74-74 at the close of regulation to force overtime.
Early in the extra period, however, Ouachita Baptist made a three-pointer of its own to take a one-point lead, and then iced the game away at the free throw line making 11 of their final 12 attempts from the charity stripe to secure an 88-82 win on Thursday Night.
Ouachita (12-11, 10-9 GAC)took the early advantage in the game, going up 10-3 with 15:50 to go in the first half, but a 9-0 run over the next three and a half minutes gave the Muleriders (11-14, 9-10 GAC) a slim two-point lead, 12-10. The first six points of that run were scored by KJ Collins as he made consecutive jumpers and converted a pair of free throw attempts as well.
That modest SAU lead did not last long, however, as Ouachita's Lakee Westbrook hit a three-pointer the next trip down the court to give the Tigers the lead once more.
For the remainder of the half, Ouachita led SAU on the scoreboard, but the margin was not ever out of reach and it was merely a three-point game at the break, 36-33.
Immediately out of the locker room, it was a one-point game as Denarious Lockhart threw down a dunk off of an assist by CJ Elkins. While the lead was razor-thin for the Tigers, they slowly were able to maintain and build upon the lead, taking a 12-point advantage, 54-42, with 13:49 left in regulation.
Battling throughout, the Muleriders were able to cut that deficit down to just four points, 69-65, with 3:52 to go, but a three-pointer by Ouachita's Jordan Corbitt about 20 seconds later, made it a seven-point Tiger advantage with just over 3:30 on the clock.
For the remainder of the second half, SAU was able to limit the Tigers to just two points, allowing the Muleriders to make a late-game comeback and force overtime with the aforementioned Tennison trifectas.
In the overtime, SAU quickly scored the first points on a mid-range jumper by Elkins, but a three-pointer by Westbook with 4:04 on the clock, gave the Tigers the lead once more, 77-76.
Ouachita was then able to protect that advantage and ultimately stave off the Muleriders by making 11-of-12 free throws the rest of the way out.
Four Muleriders ended the game in double figures with Elkins leading with an 18-point effort. Tennison followed with 17 points.
De'Sean Dockery and KJ Collins rounded out double-figure scoring with 10 points apiece.
Lady Tigers 66,
Lady Muleriders 54
ARKADELPHIA – Ouachita Baptist (11-14, 8-11 GAC) received a balanced scoring effort and took advantage of second-chance opportunities to beat the Lady Muleriders (5-18, 3-16 GAC) 66-54.
Ouachita began the game on a 15-6 run that spanned the opening quarter's first 7:30, before Jasmyn Eckerman scored the next six points for the Lady Muleriders to cut the deficit to six points at 18-12 entering the second quarter.
The Lady Tigers manufactured an 11-0 run as part of growing its lead to its largest of the first half at 18 points with 1:02 to remaining in the second quarter. Eckerman knocked down a jumper in the half's final 40 seconds to bring the halftime deficit to 16, 39-23 Ouachita.
Southern Arkansas would only get as close as 14 points in the third quarter, but used a 7-0 run in the final quarter to pull within a dozen points.
Over the game's final 6:15, Ouachita did not score a point as SAU outscored OBU 15-10 in the quarter, but the Tigers used their previously built lead and a solid defense to hold off a potential Lady Mulerider run late.
Eckerman led the Lady Muleriders with a game-high 14 points in 29 minutes off of the bench. Anna Djedjemel added nine points.
The Muleriders and Lady Muleriders will host Harding Saturday afternoon. Seven seniors will be recognized.
The women's contest will tip off at 1 p.m., followed by the men's game at 3 p.m.