Box Score ADA – The East Central University men's basketball team claimed the No.4 seed at the 2014 Great American Conference Tournament after a 72-75 loss to Arkansas Tech in the final game of the 2013-14 regular-season. The Tigers finished the regular-season 15-11 overall and 12-8 in the league.
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ECU was led by senior
Henry Pwono, who tallied over 25 points for the second-straight game. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native garnered 28 points and added eight rebounds and two assists. Fellow senior
Chris Fisher had a season-best 18 points, four assists and three steals.
The game was tight in the first four minutes before the Wonder Boys (20-8, 15-5 GAC) used a 14-4 run to take the first lead larger than three points, at the half-way point of the stanza. ATU had pushed the lead to 11 and kept the lead above 10 for most of the half and went into the locker room leading 32-44.
The lead remained between 13-18 points for the first six minutes of the second half, when the Tigers started to push back. ECU used a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to 13, with 11:44 left to play. The teams traded points for the next two minutes before the Tigers went on an 11-2 run to cut the lead to four (61-65), with 6:15 left to play.
The battled resumed and another 5-0 run by ECU tied the game at 70, with 1:58 left on the clock. The teams traded baskets over the next minute and went into the final 30 seconds tied at 72. The Tigers played strong defense, but it was not quite enough as the Wonder Boys hit a contested three with 1.1 seconds to play for the 72-75 win.
Both teams had a strong night shooting from the floor, with ECU making 52.3 percent of its shots and ATU 50 percent. One of the key advantages for the Tigers would have been at the free-throw line, which they reached 31 times, but made 20. The Wonder Boys were held to a 10-of-14 mark from the charity stripe.
ECU will now prepare for the 2014 GAC Tournament, with its first game scheduled for 8 p.m., Thursday, March 6 against No. 5 Harding at Bruin Fieldhouse in Bartlesville, Okla. This is the first trip to the GAC Tournament for the Tigers and the first time that they have advanced into the post-season since the 2002-03 season.
