Box Score (html)
ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – SWOSU Basketball put forth a gritty effort on Thursday night, but Ouachita Baptist proved why they are unblemished at home and sit atop the Great American Conference standings with a 89-63 victory over the Bulldogs at Bill Vining Arena.
SWOSU hit 10-of-27 (37.0%) field goals in the first half, connecting on four three-pointers but it wasn't enough to keep up with the Tigers, who had four players connect from down town as they build a 46-30 advantage at the break. The Bulldogs stayed within striking distance for most of the half before OBU used a 19-4 run that included five three's and extended their lead to 19 before a
Trent Washington three with four seconds remaining made the halftime deficit 16.
The Bulldogs battled in the second half, using a 13-2 run to get within seven at 52-45 with 14:35 to play before OBU scored five quick points to push their lead back do a dozen. SWOSU again got back within seven as an
Ayo Ojo lay in made it 61-54 with 9:01 to play, but a three-pointer from OBU compounded with a technical foul on SWOSU's
Martell Collins jumpstarted an 11-0 run that gave the Tigers control they would not relinquish.
"I felt like our team picked played well enough to put ourselves in a position to make a run in the second half," SWOSU Coach
Bob Battisti said. "Our problem is that we didn't get answer baskets when Ouachita Baptist went on their runs, but give them credit because there's a reason they're one of the best teams in our league."
Washington led the Bulldogs with 16 points, but needed 16 field goal attempts to reach the mark, hitting 6-of-16 from the field and 2-of-10 attempts from 3-point range.
Emeche Wells added 15 points and eight rebounds in his return to the starting lineup while Collins, the Bulldogs leading scorer and rebounder, was held to a season-low five points and did not grab a rebound before fouling out.
The defeat evens the Bulldogs record at 11-11, leaving SWOSU with a .500 record for the first time since they were 2-2 following a defeat at Harding in late November. SWOSU also falls to 5-10 in league play heading into a showdown with another top GAC team, Southern Arkansas, on Saturday afternoon in Magnolia.
