ADA, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team battled No. 25 Ouachita Baptist University but came up short in a 67-55 Great American Conference loss on Saturday afternoon inside the Kerr Activities Center.
 
With the loss, ECU fell to 4-9 in GAC play, while Ouachita remained atop the conference standings at 12-1. The Tigers will look to bounce back next week as conference play continues with a road trip to Southern Arkansas and Arkansas–Monticello.
 
Despite the setback, the game marked a milestone moment for Jaden Miller, who etched his name into the ECU record book. Entering the contest tied for the program's single-season assist record, Miller dished out eight assists to become the outright record holder with 164 assists, while still having plenty of season remaining.
 
ECU opened the contest with strong energy, jumping out to a 15-5 lead behind efficient offense and aggressive defense that forced multiple early turnovers. The Tigers controlled the tempo through the opening stretch before the visiting Tigers used a late first-half run to shift momentum.
 
After ECU led by as many as 10 following free throws from Kameron Newsome, Ouachita responded with a decisive surge, holding ECU without a field goal for more than eight minutes. The run allowed the visitors to close the half on a 20-5 spurt and take a 32-25 lead into the break.
 
The Tigers continued to compete in the second half and cut into the deficit early, but Ouachita capitalized on second-chance opportunities and trips to the free-throw line to maintain separation. ECU struggled to find offensive rhythm as the game progressed, while Ouachita pushed its lead to double digits midway through the period.
 
Ouachita finished the game shooting 42.9 percent from the floor compared to ECU's 37.0 percent, won the rebounding battle 36-26, and turned 11 offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points, while also going 21-of-24 at the free-throw line.
 
Miller led the Tigers with 14 points to go along with eight assists, while Javaun Henderson added 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Mark Rucha rounded out the Tigers in double figures with 10 points.