ADA, Okla. – East Central University men's basketball opened the 2026-27 season in impressive fashion Monday afternoon, cruising to a 107-63 victory over Sterling College in a nonconference matchup inside a buzzing Kerr Activities Center.
The Tigers welcomed students from Stonewall, McLish, Latta, Roff, and Holdenville for ECU's annual Kids Game, putting on an offensive show for the energetic crowd while starting the season 1-0.
ECU wasted little time finding its rhythm, pouring in 57 points in the opening half while shooting an efficient 67.9 percent from the floor. The Tigers knocked down nine three-pointers in the first 20 minutes, connecting on 60 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc to build a 57-37 halftime advantage.
The offensive production continued after the break as ECU shot an even more impressive 70.8 percent from the field in the second half, adding another 50 points to its total. The Tigers finished the afternoon shooting 69.2 percent overall (36-of-52) and 52 percent from three-point range (13-of-25).
Brandon Mann and
Rustin Coffey led the Tigers with 14 points apiece. Mann went 5-of-6 from the floor and added three assists and three steals, while Coffey connected on four three-pointers, shooting 5-of-8 overall.
Braden Baum and
Mark Rucha each added 12 points, with Baum shooting 5-of-6 from the field, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Rucha also made his presence felt as a facilitator, dishing out a team-high six assists and 12 points.
Jordan England chipped in nine points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting performance, including a three-pointer.
Kameron Newsome and
Javaun Henderson each contributed eight points, while
Kyler Mann,
Ari Tumma, and
Riki Adams added seven apiece.
Christian Andrews finished with five points and six assists, matching Rucha for the team lead, while
Race Herr contributed four points and five rebounds.
ECU also made its presence felt in transition, recording 27 fast-break points while capitalizing on 32 points off turnovers. The Tigers' depth was on full display as the bench contributed 52 points, with all 12 players finding the scoring column.
With the win, ECU moves to 1-0 on the young season and will now turn its attention to the Tulsa Tip-Off Classic, where the Tigers will face Arkansas-Fort Smith and Central Missouri on Nov. 13 and Nov. 14, respectively.
