BETHANY, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team started the 2021-22 Great American Conference portion of the season, with a 51-50 last-second victory at Southern Nazarene.

Scoring

• 1^st Half: 22-30
  • The Crimson Storm (4-2, 0-1 GAC) started the half strong, going on an 11-2 run before the Tigers (2-4, 1-0 GAC) were able to score a field goal
    • 14 minutes remained in the stanza
  • Over the next four minutes ECU used an 11-5 run to cut the deficit to three (16-13)
  • SNU used a quick 5-2 run in the next minute to increase the lead by to six
  • The teams traded shots through the rest of the half
• 2^nd Half:
  • The Tigers used the first five minutes to cut the lead to three (33-30)
  • The Crimson Storm countered with a 9-2 run to get the advantage back to 10 (42-32)
  • The teams then traded points and runs throughout the stanza to keep the difference around 10 until the final five minutes
  • ECU put together an 11-1 run to knot the game at 50, with less than two minutes left on the clock
  • Both teams went cold after that, with no scoring until the final four seconds of the game
    • Sr. Romello Wilbert went 1-of-2 at the free-throw line to give the Tigers their first lead in the game
  • The Crimson Storm got one last chance to win the game, but missed a three-point attempt

Tiger Quick Shots

• First time since the 2018-19 season that the Tigers claimed a win in the first Great American Conference game of the season
  • First time to play SNU in the league opener
  • ECU is now 6-5 in GAC openers and 30-23 in conference openers since the 1969-70 season
• Sr. Romello Wilbert hit the game-winning point for the Tigers, but scored just three points in the game total
  • Added 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 4 steals
    • Career high for steals
• RFr. Brennen Burns led the team on the scoreboard
  • 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, .750 (6-of-8) FG, 1-of-1 3PT FG
• Despite holding the lead for just 0.5% of the game, ECU earned a slight advantage in overall shooting
  • FG: ECU – 21-of-53 (39.6%) / SNU – 19-of-56 (33.9%)
  • 3PT FG: ECU – 2-of-16 (12.5%) / SNU – 3-of-16 (18.8%)
  • FT: ECU – 7-of-14 (50.0%) / SNU 9-of-16 (56.3%)

Up Next

• The Tigers will play their next game in the friendly confines of the Kerr Activities Center
  • Saturday, Dec. 4 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma State – 3 p.m.
• ECU then has three more games before the holiday break
  • Saturday, Dec. 11 at Southwestern Oklahoma State – 3 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Dec. 14 vs. Southwestern Christian – 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, Dec. 18 at Oklahoma Baptist – 7 p.m.