ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The East Central University men's basketball team played their first of three make-up games in the next week, with an overtime loss (70-69) at Henderson State University.

Scoring

• 1^st Half: 31-34
  • The Reddies (15-9, 11-7 GAC) opened the stanza on a 5-0 run, in the first three minutes
  • The Tigers (8-13, 6-10 GAC kept the deficit between 1-2 possessions for the next three minutes
  • HSU went on a 6-0 run to push the lead to eight (7-15), with 11 minutes left on the clock
  • ECU countered with a 12-0 run, over the next two minutes, to take their first advantage (19-15)
  • The Reddies quickly regained the lead and built it to seven in the next two minutes
  • In the final four minutes, the Tigers fought back and were able to cut the deficit to three (34-31)
  • Neither team scored in the final 2:29 of the half
• 2^nd Half: 29-26 (60-60)
  • The beginning of the second stanza was all about defense, with just eight points being scored in the first four minutes
  • HSU then added a 10-2 run to regain a nine-point advantage, with 12:45 remaining
  • The defensive battled resumed, with limited scoring for the next three minutes
  • ECU then went on an 11-0 run to gain a 52-49 advantage, with seven minutes left
  • The teams traded shots through the rest of the game, with a final tie score coming at 60-all, with 1:15 left on the clock
  • Both teams missed several chances to gain the victory in the final seconds, but could not connect
• OT: 9-10 (69-70)
  • The back-and-forth battle continued through the extra stanza
  • ECU took a one-point advantage on a fast-break off a steal, with 14 seconds remaining
  • The Reddies drew a foul, with four ticks left and made both free throws to take the lead
  • HSU then stole the down court pass of the Tigers to secure the win

Tiger Quick Shots

• ECU saw three players score in double-digits in the game and one with a double-digit rebound total
  • Sr. Jalen Crutchfield: 19 pts., 6 reb., 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal
  • Fr. AJ Ferguson, Jr.: 18 pts., 5 reb., 4 assists, 1 steal
    • Career high for points and assists
  • Sr. Jakeem Acres: 17 pts., 8 reb., 2 assists, 2 steals, 4-of-6 3PT FG
  • Sr. Romello Wilbert: 2 pts., 14 reb., 5 assists, 1 block, 3 steals
    • Career high for rebounds
• The Tigers third overtime game of the 2021-22 season
  • Dec. 11, 2021 – L, 73-76 (OT) at Southwestern Oklahoma State
  • Jan. 13, 2022 – W, 115-113 (2OT) at Southeastern Oklahoma State
  • All three overtime games this season have been on the road
• The teams were close in all shooting categories, with three field goals being the difference
  • FG: ECU 23-of-70 (33%) / HSU 26-of-78 (33%)
  • 3PT FG: ECU 12-of-29 (41%) / HSU 10-of-30 (33%)
  • FT: 11-of-13 (85%) / HSU 8-of-11 (73%)
• With six games left in the next two weeks, the Tigers are currently No. 8 in the Great American Conference standings
  • 8 of the 12 teams from the conference will advance to GAC Championship Tournament
    • March 3-6, 2022 at Firelake Arena in Shawnee, Okla.

Up Next

• The Tigers will return home for the next three games
  • Thursday, Feb. 17 vs. Ouachita Baptist – 7:30 p.m.
    • Tinker Federal Credit Union Game Day
      • ECU Students have chances to win prizes
  • Saturday, Feb. 19 vs. Henderson State – 3 p.m.
  • Sunday, Feb. 20 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma State – 3:30 p.m.