ECU Sports
Teri LaJeunese, Sports Information Director
ADA – In a game between the top two teams in the Great American Conference, the East Central University men’s basketball team claimed a 100-98 win over No. 18 Arkansas-Monticello at the Kerr Activities Center.
The Tigers (13-5, 9-3 GAC) were led by senior Braxton Reeves, who tallied 32 points and four assists. Senior Ishmael Donzo added 20 points and seven boards, while freshman Cameron Talley netted 13 points and junior Tyler Armstrong 10.
The Boll Weevils (14-2, 10-2 GAC) started on a hot streak, jumping out to a 2-13 advantage. ECU never let up and cut the deficit to six in the middle of the stanza. UAM then kept the lead between six and nine points until the mid-way point. That is when the Tigers made a key push and used a 6-0 run to cut the disadvantage to three (26-29) over the next minute.
The lead was quickly pushed back to seven and kept there over the next three minutes. ECU then made another push and was able to tie the game at 47, with 1:54 left in the half. The teams traded shots the rest of the time and went into the locker room tied at 52.
The opening six minutes of the second half were a back-and-forth battle, but over the next minute ECU used a 5-0 run to gain a double-digit advantage. The Boll Weevils never quit and used a 9-0 run in the middle of the period to cut the deficit to three (83-80). Things remained tight with the teams trading runs before UAM tied the game at 91, with 3:45 left to play.
The Tigers then pushed ahead for the final time, using a 5-0 run over the next two minutes to lead 96-91. The Boll Weevils were able to cut the lead to two (98-96) with one minute left. But it was free throws by Reeves with 7.8 seconds left that secured the win for ECU. Despite a final shot made by UAM, the Tigers claimed the 100-98 win.
Shots made beyond the arc were the keys to victory by ECU, as they made nine to four by the Boll Weevils.
The Tigers will now get ready to host Southern Arkansas, Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. in the Kerr Activities Center.