BETHANY, Okla. – Montrell Williams scored a team-high 27 points, while Bennie Lufile added a 13-point, 16-rebound performance, but the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys basketball team (3-2, 2-2 Great American Conference) was unable to match the offensive firepower of Southern Nazarene (3-4, 2-1 GAC) down the stretch, falling 80-73 to the Crimson Storm on Saturday at the Sawyer Center.
 
NEXT UP
The Wonder Boys will return to action on Wednesday, December 14, hosting William Woods University at Tucker Coliseum. A 7 p.m. tip is scheduled.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• While Southern Nazarene was able to edge ahead in the opening minutes of the contest, the Wonder Boys were able to claim a lead at the 10:36 mark of the opening quarter (14-13) after a 3-pointer by Mason Cline.
• Tech took as much as a six-point (22-16) lead at the 9:13 mark of the first half.
• SNU rallied and reclaimed the lead at the 5:51 mark after a 3-pointer by LB Willis, and the Crimson Storm would not trail again in the half, settling into halftime with a five-point (38-33) advantage.
• The Crimson Storm held the Wonder Boys at arm's length over the opening minutes of the second half, pushing ahead by double figures (59-49) just over eight minutes into the half.
• The Wonder Boys pushed back, pulling to within one point (72-71) with 3:25 remaining in the contest.
• However, SNU was able to outscore the Wonder Boys 8-2 down the stretch to hold on for the victory.

NOTABLES

• The opening half saw SNU hold a 45.5 percent to 38.7 advantage in field goal percentage, while the Wonder Boys held an 18-17 advantage on the rebounding glass.
• Tech committed 10 turnovers to SNU's seven in the opening half.
• SNU held a 42.9 to 38.9 percent shooting advantage for the contest.
• Grant Prusator (15 points) joined Williams and Lufile in double figures.
• Tech committed 19 turnovers to SNU's 12, as SNU held a 25-12 advantage in points off turnovers.
• Tech held a 42-41 advantage on rebounds, helping Tech to a 14-10 advantage in second-chance points.

COACH KLINE SAYS

• His thoughts on tonight's game – "Offensively we were in a bit of a funk tonight. I thought we battled our tails off defensively. Our effort was so much better tonight defensively but we just can't put it together. All year we've been great on offense and our defense has struggled, so last night we made it a point to work on defense – I guess we forgot the offensive end of it. Southern Nazarene is good – they're in midseason form right now. We're trying to figure it out on the fly during critical conference games. I have nothing but faith in these guys – we'll bounce back for sure. The season is still young."