Arkansas Tech University’s Tyler Corley scored a career-high 30 points on Thursday night to lead the Wonder Boys to an 85-73 win over Great American Conference-leading Ouachita Baptist University at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville.
The Wonder Boys (12-10 overall, 7-9 GAC) opened the second half on an 11-2 run to claim a 45-36 advantage with 17:01 remaining.
The Tigers (12-10, 12-4) pulled back within five points with less than six minutes to go. Arkansas Tech was able to fend off the comeback bid by making its seven field goal tries and draining 6-of-8 free throws over the final minute.
“We’ve been talking for a while now that every game has been tied or a one or two-point game at halftime,” said Arkansas Tech head coach Chad Kline. “It’s a matter of who’s going to win those first five minutes of the second half. Our whole game plan was to control tempo. We had to put ourselves in a good defensive position.”
The Wonder Boys held the Tigers to 4-of-18 shooting (22 percent) from 3-point range. OBU entered the night shooting a GAC-best 39.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Ouachita Baptist jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first five minutes of the first half, but Arkansas Tech responded with a 16-4 surge of its own. DeChriston McKinney’s layup at the 7:55 mark of the first half gave the Wonder Boys their first lead at 20-18.
Arkansas Tech went on to lead by as many as six points in the first half. Ouachita closed the half with a 7-1 run to tie the score 34-34 at the intermission.
Corley was 11-of-17 from the field on Thursday night. He also made 6-of-9 free throws and dished out four assists.
Tech’s Mason Cline connected on 3-of-4 tries from 3-point range and finished with 11 points. McKinney added 10 points and seven rebounds.
Tirrell Brown paced the Tigers with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
The Wonder Boys will face Southern Arkansas University for a 3 p.m. GAC contest at Magnolia on Saturday, Feb. 13.
Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will have live coverage from the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.
