Laithe Massey gave a performance for the ages and the nationally 23rd-ranked Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys dominated the nationally 19th-ranked Harding Bisons 85-55 at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville on Thursday night.
Massey had 17 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and matched his career high 10 assists to record the second triple-double in Arkansas Tech men’s basketball history.
Dustin Smith is the only other Wonder Boy to ever achieve the feat. He had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in a 103-88 loss to Arkansas Baptist on Jan. 23, 2003.
Massey’s big night helped the Wonder Boys (14-3 overall, 5-0 Gulf South Conference) claim sole possession of the GSC West Division lead and hand Harding (15-3, 5-1) its first league loss of the season.
Johnie Davis led Tech in scoring with 26 points. He made 6-of-8 3-point tries. Jeremy Dunbar added 19 points for Arkansas Tech, which won its eighth consecutive game.
The difference in the game was the final eight minutes of the first half and the first seven minutes of the second half. Harding’s Kevin Brown made a field goal with 8:08 left in the first half to give the Bisons a 26-22 lead, but no one could have imagined at the time that they would not make another field goal for more than 15 minutes.
While Harding could not buy a basket, the Wonder Boys turned that four-point deficit into a 51-33 lead. Brown finally ended the drought by making a layup for the Bisons with 13:00 left, but by then it was too late. Tech’s lead never dipped below 17 points the rest of the way.
Arkansas Tech made 6-of-9 from 3-point range in the second half to pull away for its second straight blowout win at home over Harding. The Wonder Boys beat the Bisons 95-64 in Russellville on Feb. 13, 2010.
Brown led Harding with 17 points and six rebounds.
The Wonder Boys will hit the road on Saturday, Jan. 29, for a GSC contest against Ouachita Baptist. Tip-off at Vining Arena in Arkadelphia is set for 5 p.m.
Radio station KWKK 100.9 FM will broadcast the game in the Arkansas River Valley. The broadcast will be streamed over the Internet at www.athletics.atu.edu.
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