WEATHERFORD, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team opened the 2026 portion of its schedule with a 77–72 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Saturday afternoon, rallying from a halftime deficit to secure the road win.
 
With the victory, ECU improves to 7–5 overall and 2–4 in Great American Conference play, while SWOSU falls to 1–5 in league action. The Tigers return to Ada for their next GAC matchup against Arkansas–Monticello on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
 
Rustin Coffey opened the scoring by knocking down a three-pointer to give ECU an early lead. The Tigers held an 8–7 advantage following a layup from Brandon Mann, but SWOSU responded with seven straight points to take a 14–8 lead. The Bulldogs carried that momentum through the remainder of the half, building an advantage that grew to as many as nine points at 28–19. Another Coffey three trimmed the deficit to 31–28 with two minutes remaining, but SWOSU closed the half on a 7–2 run to take a 38–30 lead into the break.
 
Momentum shifted in the second half as ECU's defense tightened and the offense found its rhythm. The Tigers capitalized on a prolonged cold stretch by SWOSU, piecing together a 10–0 run midway through the period. The surge was sparked by a layup from Jaden Miller and capped by a three-pointer from Race Herr, pulling ECU within one at 46–45. The contest remained back-and-forth for several minutes before ECU seized control late. A layup by Javaun Henderson gave the Tigers a 59–58 lead, an advantage they would not relinquish. Despite multiple late pushes from the Bulldogs, ECU stayed composed at the free-throw line and on the defensive end to seal the five-point win.
 
The Tigers shot efficiently after halftime, finishing the game at 48 percent from the field and 55 percent in the second half. ECU outscored SWOSU 47–34 after the break and held a 37–27 rebounding advantage. The Tigers also dominated in the paint with 38 points and received 32 points from the bench.
 
Five Tigers scored in double figures, led by Mann, who finished with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting while grabbing a team-high eight rebounds. Mark Rucha followed with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, while Coffey and Herr added 11 points apiece, combining for five of ECU's eight three-pointers. Miller rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points and dished out eight assists.