SHAWNEE, Okla. – The Arkansas Tech men's basketball team got back to their winning ways on Thursday night at Oklahoma Baptist thanks to some suffocating second half defense that helped Tech hold OKB to a season-low 55 points.
The win for the Wonder Boys (12-10, 10-6 GAC) snapped what was a four-game losing skid while also avenging a loss to Oklahoma Baptist earlier this season when the Bison (11-11, 8-8 GAC) edged out Tech 77-74 in Tucker Coliseum. Additionally, the win snapped a five-game losing streak for Tech against Oklahoma Baptist.
Helping propel the Wonder Boys to the win was a staunch defensive effort that has become synonymous to the success of the team this season. The stingy defense really showed out in the second half.
After scoring 35 points on 42% shooting overall from the floor (13-of-31) in the first half, the Bison were limited to just 20 points on 37% shooting (7-of-19) in the second half. Most of that minimal success offensively for Oklahoma Baptist in the second half occurred early as the Wonder Boys defense held the Bison to no made field goals on just four attempts over the final eight minutes of game time.
During that stretch, the Tech defense also forced four turnovers to push the Bison total to 17 for the game and held OKB to just three points as they went 3-for-6 from the free throw line.
While the defense was putting the clamps down in the second half, the Tech offense was making big shots when needed following a highly-efficient first half that saw them shoot nearly 60% from the field (13-of-22).
With 7:47 left in the game and Tech leading by three, 55-52, D'Rell Roberts knocked down a big three-pointer to double the Tech lead out to six points, 58-52. The margin was still six points in favor of Arkansas Tech with 2:50 now to play when
BJ Johnson essentially sealed the game as he buried a trifecta of his own to give the Wonder Boys a nine-point lead.
That lead grew as large as 11 points following a put-back flush by
Niko Gosnell seconds later and Tech would go on to win by a double-digit margin, 65-55.
Overall, the Wonder Boys shot just under 50% from the floor for the game (24-of-50) and had two players reach double figures.
Andre Leavell led the team with a 17-point effort while
Tommy Kamarad was next with 14 points.
The Wonder Boys will now prepare for a tough road game at No. 17-ranked Southern Nazarene on Saturday. Tip-off against the Crimson Storm is set for 3 p.m. from the Sawyer Center in Bethany, Okla.
