ALVA, Okla. – For the second-straight game, the East Central University men's basketball team claimed victory on a buzzer-beating three, defeating Northwestern Oklahoma State, 67-65, in Great American Conference road action at Percefull Fieldhouse.

Scoring

• 1^st Half: 35-29
  • The Rangers (2-3, 0-3 GAC) took an early four-point lead
  • The Tigers (4-4, 4-4 GAC) fought back and tied the game at nine after the first five minutes
  • The teams traded the next two shots before NWOSU went on a 4-0 run to take a slight lead
  • The back-and-forth battle continued for the next two minutes
  • ECU then went on a 10-2 run to take a four-point lead of its own
  • The Tigers kept the advantage between 2-6 for the rest of the half
• 2^nd Half: 32-36 (67-65)
  • ECU opened the half on a 10-3 run, in the first 7:30 minutes
    • Increased the lead to 13 (45-32)
  • NWOSU countered with a 10-2 run, over the next 4:30 minutes, to cut the deficit to seven
  • The Rangers kept things close and in the final five minutes started a 4-0 run, over the next two minutes, to cut the deficit to one (55-54)
  • After two free-throws by the Tigers, NWOSU tied the game with a three (57-57), with 2:25 left
  • The teams then traded shots, but a missed free throw by ECU allowed the Rangers to take a one-point lead
  • The teams traded shots down to the buzzer with either a tie score or a team leading by one
  • NWOSU made 1-of-2 free throws with 7.6 seconds left
  • Jr. Jakeem Acres then hit a long-range three to secure the win for the Tigers

Tiger Quick Shots

• Jr. Jakeem Acres led a group of three players with double-digit point totals for the game
  • 19 pts., 3 reb., 1 assist, 1 block, .385 (5-of-13) FG, .400 (2-of-5) 3PT FG
  • Last-second three was only his second made in the game
  • Career high for points, three-point field goals made and free throws made
• Jr. Tylor Arnold: 14 pts., 9 reb., 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal, .357 (5-of-14) FG
  • Career high for rebounds and blocks
• Jr. Jalen Crutchfield: 13 pts., 4 reb., 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal
  • Career high for blocks
• Jr. Gerren Jackson tallied seven points, but was perfect in all shooting categories
  • 2-of-2 FG, 1-of-1 3PT FG, 2-of-2 FT
• ECU trailed slightly in shooting from the floor, but a clear mark at the charity stripe
  • FG: ECU 20-of-51 (39.2%) / NWOSU 25-of-59 (42.4%)
  • 3PT FG: ECU 4-of-19 (21.1%) / NWOSU 6-of-18 (33.3%)
  • FT: ECU 23-of-30 (76.7%) / NWOSU 9-of-14 (64.3%)

Up Next

• The Tigers will wrap up the games in January during the 2020-21 season at the Kerr Activities Center
  • Saturday, Jan. 30 vs. Oklahoma Baptist – 5 p.m.
• ECU will then play three of the next four games on the road
  • Thursday, Feb. 4 at Southern Nazarene- 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, Feb. 6 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma State – 4 p.m.
  • Monday, Feb. 8 at Southeastern Oklahoma State – 7:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, Feb. 11 at Oklahoma Baptist – 7:30 p.m.