Arkansas Tech University ran its men’s basketball winning streak to four consecutive games with a 97-83 Great American Conference win over Southeastern Oklahoma State University at Tucker Coliseum in Russellville on Thursday night.
Montrell Williams scored 25 points to lead the way for the Wonder Boys (7-2 overall, 3-2 GAC), who improved to 6-0 at home this season.
“Tempo was the key to the game,” said Arkansas Tech head coach Chad Kline. “I also thought it was huge for us to hold them to zero offensive rebounds in the first half. We really emphasized attacking the rim.”
The Wonder Boys shot a season-best 55.7 percent (34-of-61) from the field. They finished with a 21-10 advantage in points off turnovers.
Tech’s Alex Brown contributed 19 points and seven rebounds. Justin Graham added 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in 38 minutes, while Bennie Lufile notched 14 points and eight rebounds.
Arkansas Tech led 48-31 at the intermission on the strength of two 11-0 runs during the opening half.
The Wonder Boys’ first spurt turned a six-point deficit into a 21-16 Tech edge with 11:57 to go until halftime. Williams scored seven points and Brown had four points during the run.
Brown started the Wonder Boys’ second 11-0 spurt with a jumper at the 5:09 mark of the half. When Williams completed the run on a jump shot of his own with 3:02 remaining in the half, Arkansas Tech’s lead ballooned to 42-27.
Southeastern Oklahoma State chopped its deficit to nine points early in the second half, but seven straight Tech points rebuilt the lead to 62-46 with 14:49 left.
Arkansas Tech maintained at least a 10-point spread the rest of the way, and it put it away with one last run. A 10-0 spurt gave Tech an insurmountable 87-67 lead with 5:37 to go.
Anton Cook scored a game-high 28 points for the Savage Storm (4-7, 0-5).
The Wonder Boys will host East Central University for a 3 p.m. GAC contest at Tucker Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 7.
