WARRENSBURG, MO. – The East Central University men's basketball team fell 82-87 to Minnesota Duluth at the Great American Conference/Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Challenge at Central Missouri.

The Tigers (1-1) were led by senior Stirling Thomas with 20 points, as one of five players in double-digits in the scoring column for ECU.  Juniors Aly Hudgins and Ben Brown-While earned the Tigers first double-doubles of the season. Hudgins garnered 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Brown-White added 12 points and 10 boards.

The opening half was a close battle all the way through, with no team leading by more than six points.  ECU trailed most of the half and went into the locker room trailing 35-40.

The Bulldogs (1-1) started the second half with a 9-0 run to push the advantage to 35-49.  The Tigers fought back and cut the deficit to eight with 14 minutes left, but UMD kept pushing the tempo and increased the lead to as many as 15.

With three minutes left, ECU made a final push and cut the lead back down to five, with a 13-7 run.  During the span, the Tigers held the Bulldogs without a field goal, but they made the most of their trips to the free throw line to earn the 82-87 win.

ECU will now head home to play its first games at the Kerr Activities Center and the first GAC games of the 2015-16 season.  The Tigers will face Southern Arkansas, Thursday, Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. and Arkansas-Monticello, Saturday, Nov. 21 at 3 p.m.