Box Score RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas Tech used a 28-2 run to open the game, as Northeastern State connected on just one of its first 23 shots, providing all the cushion necessary to help Tech hold off a furious second-half rally and lift the Wonder Boys basketball team (3-3) to a 67-55 win over Northeastern State (1-4) on Friday at Tucker Coliseum.

"You knew that the percentages were going to even out and they were going to make some shots," said Wonder Boys head coach Chad Kline. "I thought we were good at contesting shots early in the first half. Late in the first half we started allowing the ball to go to the high post which is a no-no in our zone defense, and they kind of picked us apart a little bit. They're a good team, better than what their record is. We knew they weren't going to lay down, (Northeastern State head coach Jason Tinsley) wouldn't allow that, and I take my hat off to them. After that start, we're looking at a single-digit game with a minute left."

Neither team found the basket in the first two minutes of the contest, until the Wonder Boys' Branden Williams hit a layup with 17:18 to play in the first half. NSU then tied the game at the 17:34 mark on a Michael Harmon layup.

Those points would be the last RiverHawks points until the 4:32 mark of the first half, as the Wonder Boys used a 26-0 run to push out to the 28-2 lead with 5:03 to go until halftime.

The final five minutes of the first half were far kinder to NSU than the first fifteen as the Riverhawks connected on their last five field goals of the half to narrow their deficit to 18 points (33-15) with 32 seconds to go until
the half. D.J. Jethroe connected on a 3-pointer as time expired to push the halftime lead back to 21 (36-15).

The second half saw the RiverHawks continue to chip away at the Wonder Boys' lead, cutting the deficit to single digits by the 9:46 mark, when a 3-pointer by Trey Mohair pulled NSU to within 43-34.

The Tech lead was at nine points (46-37) at the 8:58 mark after a three-point play by Dakota Caudill, when the Wonder Boys went on a 14-2 run over the next five minutes to push the lead back to 21 points (60-39) with 3:50 to play.

Still, the RiverHawks were not done, using a 16-3 run of their own to pull to within eight points (63-55) with 1:20 to play after a Michael Harmon layup.

Those would be the last points of the contest for NSU, however, the Wonder Boys held on for the victory. 

NSU's Michael Harmon led all scorers with 21 points, 17 of those points coming in the second half. Meanwhile, Williams led Tech with 17 points, including 11 in the second half, while adding eight rebounds. Tyler Friedel scored 11 points with seven rebounds in the win, while Nick Wayman grabbed 12 rebounds. D.J. Jethroe had a seven-point, eight-rebound effort off the bench.

The Wonder Boys held a 51-27 advantage on the rebounding glass and a 41.7 to 35.0 percent advantage in shooting.

Tech will return to action on Saturday, facing Southwest Baptist in the finale of the Arkansas Tech Thanksgiving Classic. A 4 p.m. tip-off is scheduled, with the game being carried live on KWKK-FM (100.9) in Russellville. The day's opener between Northeastern State and Ouachita will tip at 2 p.m.