Kevin McNeal scored a season-high 20 points to lead Arkansas Tech University to a 93-71 non-conference men’s basketball victory over Jarvis Christian College at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville on Monday night.
McNeal was 7-of-12 from the field and 5-of-6 at the free throw line. He also grabbed nine rebounds as the Wonder Boys (6-2) earned their third consecutive win.
“(McNeal) is such a classy kid,” said Chad Kline, ATU head coach. “He’s been starting for us, and I told him we were going to bring him off the bench to try something different and get him going. He told me he doesn’t care about any of that, he just wants to win.”
Winning was far from a certainty at halftime Monday night.
Jarvis Christian, which arrived 0-8 on the season, led 36-33 at the intermission after Arkansas Tech shot 10-of-33 (30 percent) from the floor during the opening 20 minutes.
The Wonder Boys restored order by connecting on 21-of-30 (70 percent) field goal attempts in the second half. A 17-1 ATU run midway through the second half provided the Wonder Boys with a 75-54 lead at the 6:49 mark.
Tech maintained at least a 21-point margin the rest of the way.
ATU’s R.J. Glasper had 18 points and eight assists. Dillon Gooding finished with 15 points, while Devante Foster chipped in 13 points and six rebounds.
McShane Wyatt paced Jarvis Christian with 21 points. Davion Bradley added 18 points and 10 rebounds.
The Wonder Boys will resume the Great American Conference portion of their schedule with a 3 p.m. contest against Southern Arkansas University at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center in Magnolia on Saturday, Dec. 14.
Radio station KCJC 102.3 FM and www.arkansastechsports.com will provide live coverage.
