ALVA, Okla. - The East Central University men's basketball team started the 2022-23 Great American Conference portion of the season with a _-_ victory against Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma Thursday. ECU improves 5-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
 
"I'm proud of our guys tonight," Head Coach Daniel Wheeler  said. "That's a good team we played tonight and a tough place to win. I thought we showed some real toughness and really responded. Lots of guys made some critical calls down the stretch. I'm really proud."
 
NWOSU opened up the scoring in the first half with a shot from the three-point range, but a layup and 3-pointer by Luke Harper quickly put the Tigers on top 5-3. The Rangers managed to regain the lead at 17-13 until a 10-0 scoring run by the Tigers allowed them to pull away 23-17.
 
The Rangers got back to within three at 23-20, but the Tiger offense kept pressing, and a layup by Jakeem Acres and Romello Wilbert would send ECU into halftime leading 35-27.
 
Luke Harper opened up the half for the Tigers once again, this time drilling a 3-point shot 15 seconds into the second period, and the Tigers built up their lead to 50-41 at the 12:23 minute mark. A 12-3 run by the Rangers unfolded over the course of five minutes, and NWOSU grabbed a 54-53 lead late in the second half.
 
Acres tied the game, 62-62, with a layup with just under four minutes to play, which started an 8-0 scoring run for the Tigers. ECU didn't trail again and would close out the game with a 75-71 win.
 
Three Tigers scored in double figures tonight – Luke Harper, Jakeem Acres, and Barron Tanner, Jr.
 
Harper had a strong night leading the offense with 18 points. He was 6-for-13 from the field, 2-for-3 from the three-point range, and made all four free throw attempts while adding four rebounds and four assists.
 
Acres was next behind scoring 16 points making 7-of-12 shots from the field and adding a team-high seven rebounds.
 
Tanner posted 13 points on the night, shooting 4-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 from the arc. He also added four boards and a steal.
 
The East Central University men's basketball team will return to the Kerr Activities center for their GAC home opener against Southern Nazarene University Saturday, Dec. 3 at 3:00 p.m.