ADA, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team seized an early advantage and held onto it throughout their 65-54 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Saturday night in the Kerr Activities Center.
 
The win improved ECU's overall record to 5-3 overall and 2-1 in GAC play.
 
"We found a way tonight," Head Coach Daniel Wheeler said. "Multiple guys stepped up and made key plays. We had a big-time effort on the defensive end. Thank you to the fans and ECU band that came out. They were huge for us!"
 
SWOSU briefly led with a layup after a scoreless opening minutes, but that fleeting moment was swiftly overturned by Godsgift Ezedinma's three-pointer, giving the Tigers a lead they would safeguard for the remainder of the match.
 
ECU shot 42.3% from the field and connected on 5-of-10 three-point shots in the first half to keep SWOSU at bay with a 30-22 lead heading into halftime.
 
With no run large enough to gain a lead in the second half, the Bulldogs could not bridge the gap significantly, leaving them chasing the Tigers. Although SWOSU managed to narrow the score to 52-48 with 6:25 remaining on the clock after an 8-2 scoring run, Ezedinma's three-pointer ignited a decisive 13-6 run for ECU. The surge reestablished a double-digit lead, ensuring there was no chance of a SWOSU comeback.
 
Keyon Thomas finished with a season-high 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists, reaching double-digits for the sixth time this season.
 
Robel Desta collected 13 points off the bench on 4-of-6 shooting, three of which came from beyond the arc, to go along with five rebounds.
 
Bryce Woolridge pumped in a dozen points and added a team-high six rebounds in the winning effort.
 
The ECU men's basketball team will return to action next week with a quick road trip to Shawnee to take on Oklahoma Baptist University on Saturday, December 9 at 7:30 pm.