ADA, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team stayed on the winning track and defeated Southwestern Oklahoma State, 74-68, at the Kerr Activities Center. The Tigers (11-16, 9-12 GAC) were bolstered after a loss by Arkansas-Monticello, Thursday, Feb. 24, gave ECU the final spot in the 2021-22 Great American Conference Tournament Championship.
Scoring
- 1st Half: 36-28
- The teams traded shots in the first 1:15
- ECU then used a 5-0 run to take the lead for the rest of the stanza (9-3), with 14 minutes on the clock
- The Bulldogs (11-15, 10-11 GAC) followed with a 7-2 run to get within one (11-10) in the next 1:15, but that was as close as they would get
- The Tigers pushed back with a 5-0 run in the next two minutes and then kept the advantage around eight the rest of the time
- 2nd Half: 38-40 (74-68)
- The teams started a true fight in the second half
- SWOSU used a 12-4 run, in the first five minutes, to tie the game at 40
- The teams traded shots for the next two minutes
- The Bulldogs then used a 6-0 run in the next 1:45 to take a 50-44 advantage
- ECU pushed back with a 18-2 run in the next four minutes to reclaim the lead (59-52)
- SWOSU fought back within two 959-57) in the next 30 seconds and tied the game at 62, with 4:15 left on the clock
- The Tigers made a final push, with a 4-0 run in the next 1:15 to take the lead for good
- ECU kept the advantage between 4-7 the rest of the stanza
Tiger Quick Shots
- The Tigers claimed the win on a strong three-point shooting day
- FG: ECU 25-of-56 (44.6%) / SWOSU 27-of-66 (40.9%)
- 3PT FG: ECU 10-of-25 (40%) / SWOSU 4-of-27 (14.8%)
- FT: ECU 14-of-16 (87.5%) / SWOSU 10-of-15 (66.7%)
- ECU also gain a lead on the boards
- The Tigers saw double-digit point performances from three players and a fourth with a double-digit rebounding game
- RFr. Brennen Burns: 15 pts., 6 reb., 3 assists, 1 steal, 6-of-9 FG, 3-of-4 FT
- Fr. AJ Ferguson, Jr: 15 pts., 4 reb., 1 assist, 4-of-7 FG, 1-of-1 3PT FG, 6-of-7 FT
- Sr. Reggie Crawford, Jr.: 11 pts., 2 reb., 2 assists, 3-of-5 FG, 3-of-5 3PT FG, 2-of-2 FT
- Career high for assists, three-point field goals made and free throws
- RJr. Romello Wilbert: 6 pts., 13 reb., 4 assists, 1 block, 1 steal, 3-of-4 FG
Up Next
- ECU will wrap up the 2021-22 regular season and its stand of nine games, in 16 days Saturday, Feb. 26 vs. Oklahoma Baptist – 7:30 p.m.