ADA, Okla. – The ECU men's basketball team closed out its non-conference slate with a 91–77 victory over Newman University, heading into the new year with momentum. The Tigers delivered a balanced performance on both ends of the floor, pulling away in the second half to secure the win.
 
With non-conference play complete, ECU will take a brief break before returning to Great American Conference action. The Tigers are set to open the new year on Jan. 3 with a road matchup at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford.
 
ECU got on the board first with a Brandon Mann layup, but Newman responded quickly as the teams traded momentum early. The Tigers stayed within striking distance, cutting a small deficit to 17–12 with a Mark Rucha three-pointer. ECU then tied the game at 17–17 when Javaun Henderson knocked down a three, and moments later Henderson sparked a fast break, finishing with a dunk to give the Tigers a brief 21–20 lead. Several lead changes followed in the closing minutes of the half, but strong perimeter shooting helped ECU surge ahead. Rucha's three-pointer with 39 seconds left gave the Tigers a 38–35 lead heading into halftime.
 
ECU carried its momentum into the second half, with Rustin Coffey opening the scoring on a jumper to push the lead to 40–35. Newman briefly regained the lead at 41–40, but three consecutive layups from Mann swung the game firmly in ECU's favor. The Tigers heated up offensively, shooting 70% from the field and knocking down five more three-pointers, including two from Coffey. ECU extended its largest lead to 15 points with Mann's layup at the 7:57 mark, and Hudson Linsenmeyer added a layup at 1:51 to maintain the margin until the final buzzer, sealing a 91–77 victory.
 
ECU finished the game shooting 55% from the field, hitting 11 three-pointers, and converting 14 of 17 free throws. The bench provided a major spark with 31 points, and the Tigers turned defense into offense, scoring 31 points off turnovers.
 
The Tigers were led offensively by Rustin Coffey, Brandon Mann, and Javaun Henderson. Coffey posted his second straight 20-point game, finishing with 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting, while Mann and Henderson each scored a career-high 16 points. Jaden Miller orchestrated the offense with 10 assists, bringing his total to 24 assists in two games.