WEATHERFORD, Okla. — Mike Balogun scored 23 points, going 9-for-9 from the free throw line, Tyler Friedel turned in a 15-point, nine-rebound effort, while Clarence Willard scored 13 points with eight rebounds to lead the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys basketball team (10-12, 6-8 Great American Conference) to a 69-65 come-from-behind win over Southwestern Oklahoma (11-9, 5-8 GAC) on Thursday at the Pioneer Cellular Events Center.

The Wonder Boys twice rallied from deficits of 10 or more points in the win.

SWOSU controlled the game early on, opening up an 11-point (20-9) lead with eleven minutes to play in the opening half. With the Bulldogs leading 22-12 with 9:27 to play, the Wonder Boys used a 14-4 run to knot the game at 26-26 with 5:12 to play after a pair of free throws by Willard, and then later pulled ahead 32-29 at the 4:02 mark on a 3-pointer by Darrick Little.

The Bulldogs ratcheted up the defensive pressure down the stretch, outscoring the Wonder Boys 11-3 to take a five-point (40-35) lead into the half.

SWOSU held Tech at arm's length in the opening minutes of the half and eventually stretched the lead to ten (51-41) with 12:57 to play after a 3-pointer by Kenyan Borders. Tech would rally again, however, charging back and knotting the game 56-56 with 5:12 to play on a 3-pointer by Friedel.

SWOSU's Trent Washington answered with a 3-pointer to untie the game with 3:08 to play, but again, Friedel buried another long 3-pointer from the corner to knot the game at 59-59 with 2:57 remaining.

With 1:47 to play, Friedel broke the tie in favor of the Wonder Boys with another long 3-pointer, and Arkansas Tech would never trail again. Twice in the final two minutes SWOSU would cut its deficit to one point, but the Wonder Boys made the most of their trips to the free-throw line to hold on for the victory.

Arkansas Tech returns to action on Thursday, Feb. 12, hosting Northwestern Oklahoma at Tucker Coliseum. A 7:30 p.m. contest is scheduled.