SHAWNEE, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team started on the right foot, with an 89-76 victory over Wayne State College at the Central Region Challenge, hosted by Oklahoma Baptist.

Scoring

• First Half: 43-34
  • Both teams scored in the opening minute for a 2-all tie, before going cold for the next two minutes
  • ECU was the first to get scoring again, going on a 3-0 run to take the lead
  • The Tigers (1-0) used small runs throughout the stanza to push the lead out to as many as 9 (19-10), with 11:35 left
  • The Wildcats (0-4) then went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 19
  • ECU followed with a 6-2 run to push the lead back to four (25-21)
  • The teams traded shots over the next two minutes and kept the lead between 3-5 points
  • In the final four minutes the Tigers went on a 10-7 run to push the lead back to double digits
• Second Half: 46-42
  • The Tigers kept up the pressure at the beginning of the half, pushing the lead out to double digits in the first five minutes
  • ECU kept the advantage between 6-14 points for most of the stanza
  • With 5:45 left, WSC started a 6-0 run to cut the deficit to six in the next minute
  • The Tigers followed with a 7-3 run to push the lead back to double-digits

 
Tiger Quick Shots

• The Tigers used a well-rounded scoring attack, with all but one player to see action earning at least two points and four scoring in double-digits
  • Sr. Camron Talley: 25 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, .467 (7-of-15) FG%, .400 (2-of-5) 3PT FG5, .818 (9-of-11) FT%
  • So. Gerren Jackson: 19 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, .400 (6-of-16) FG%, 1.000 (1-of-1) 3PT FG%, .750 (6-of-8) FT%
  • Sr. Zac Neely: 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1.000 (4-of-4) FG%, 1.000 (5-of-5) FT%
  • Jr. Josh Apple: 10 points, 13 rebounds, .444 (4-of-9) FG%, 1.000 (2-of-2) FT%, 2 assists, 1 steal
    • Recorded his first career double-double
• As a team, ECU shot 49.2% (29-of-59) from the field
  • Held WSC to 44.3% (27-of-61)
• The Tigers also led in free-throw percentage
  • ECU: 28-of-34 (82.4%)
  • WSU: 14-of-23 (60.9%)
• ECU led in rebounds 40-29
  • 29-18 in defensive rebounds
  • Teams tied at 11 in offensive boards
• The Tigers led by as many at 17 in the game
  • 64-47, with 11:47 remaining in the second half
• First time since the 2015-16 season that ECU has claimed a win in the season opener
  • Nov. 13, 2015 – W, 82-82 over Concordia-St. Paul
    • GAC/NSIC Challenge
• The Tigers are now 2-0 vs. the Wildcats
  • W, 80-77 – Nov. 15, 2014 (N)

Up Next

• The Tigers will return to the court Saturday, Nov. 9 at 5:30 p.m. against Nebraska-Kearney
  • At Central Region Challenge hosted by Oklahoma Baptist in Shawnee, Okla.
• ECU will then have just one game the following week
  • Saturday, Nov. 16 at McKendree in Lebanon, Ill. – 3 p.m.