ADA, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team hosted Arkansas-Monticello for a GAC matchup, falling 56-44 Thursday night in the Kerr Activities Center.
 
"We weren't our best tonight," Head Coach Daniel Wheeler said. "I thought we gave a decent effort defensively. Give UAM the credit, they had some shots and play makers and we just weren't good enough."
 
Godsgift Ezedinma opened up the scoring for the Tigers with a three-pointer to take the first lead, but that would slowly slip away as the Boll Weevils answered back with a 7-0 scoring run. Both teams traded buckets over the next five minutes until a couple of scoring runs by UAM extended their lead to double-digits at 25-15. The Tigers got back to within five at the 5:29 minute mark, but a couple of threes down the stretch pushed the Boll Weevils back out to lead 34-23 going into halftime.
 
ECU capitalized at the beginning of the second half as a layup from Barron Tanner, Jr. and back-to-back three-pointers from Luke Harper brought the game within three at 34-31 in the opening minutes. The Tigers' effort at a comeback was quickly denied though as the Boll Weevils heated up and took control the rest of the way. UAM was leading 56-35 before ECU closed the game out on a 9-0 run and cut the deficit. But the Boll Weevils still walked away with a 56-44 win.
 
Keyon Thomas and Luke Harper each scored in double-figures. Thomas had 13 points going 5-for-8 from the floor while Harper had 10 points shooting 4-for-12 overall.
 
The East Central University Men's Basketball Team will be back at home Saturday, Feb. 11 to take on Southern Arkansas University at 3 p.m.