BETHANY, Okla. – The East Central University men's basketball team traveled to Bethany, Oklahoma, for a key Great American Conference matchup against Southern Nazarene University on Monday. Despite a slow start from both sides, the Tigers pulled away when it mattered most to secure a 65-57 road win inside the Sawyer Center.
 
With the victory, ECU improves to 8-10 in league play, while SNU falls to 11-7. The Tigers will now return to Ada for another pair of crucial GAC matchups against Harding University on Thursday, Feb. 19, and Arkansas Tech University on Saturday, Feb. 21.
 
Both teams struggled offensively to open the game, as SNU did not record its first made field goal until nearly halfway through the period. The Crimson Storm managed five early free throws for a 5-4 edge before a three-pointer from Hudson Linsenmeyer put ECU back in front and sparked a 10-0 scoring run to give the Tigers a 14-5 advantage.
 
SNU responded with three straight three-pointers, their first field goals of the game, to trim the deficit to 16-14. The Tigers later built their lead to as much as 11 points following a free throw from Rustin Coffey, but the Crimson Storm found momentum late in the half, erasing the deficit and cutting ECU's lead to 28-26 at the break.
 
The second half proved to be a tight battle. SNU opened with a layup to tie the game, but ECU answered with seven straight points, capped by Linsenmeyer's second three-pointer of the night. The Crimson Storm countered with a run of their own to reclaim the lead at 36-35.
 
From there, momentum swung back and forth as the lead changed five more times and the game was tied on five occasions, setting up a tense finish. ECU capitalized on key possessions down the stretch, with Coffey leading the charge and helping spark a 6-0 run to give the Tigers a four-point cushion late. With SNU forced to foul, ECU converted at the free-throw line to seal the 65-57 victory.
 
The Tigers shot 51% from the field compared to 34% for SNU and dominated the paint, outscoring the Crimson Storm 42-18.
 
Rustin Coffey led all scorers with 21 points, while Jaden Miller and Hudson Linsenmeyer added 11 points apiece.