WONDER BOYS SNAP ITS 13-GAME GSC ROAD LOSING SKID WITH SATURDAY'S VICTORY AT SOUTHERN ARKANSAS

        MAGNOLIA, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Men’s Basketball continued its streak busting here Saturday as the Wonder Boys watched its 13-game road losing streak in Gulf South Conference play come to an end with its 74-64 victory over Southern Arkansas in front of nearly 1,000 fans at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.

Prior to Saturday’s victory, the last time Tech won a game on the road in GSC play came on Jan. 7, 2006, when the Wonder Boys earned a 67-56 win over Southern Arkansas.

Tech, who improved to 12-4 overall and 3-0 in the GSC, used a 19-4 run over a span of six minutes in the first half to turn a 17-16 deficit into a 35-21 lead and hold off the Muleriders in the second half to win its third straight game and open league play with three consecutive wins for the first time since the 2001-02 season.

“We showed a lot of character and toughness tonight,” Wonder Boys Head Coach Mark Downey said. “This was a heavyweight fight like I expected it to be and I thought we weathered the storm and were able to hang on.”

Tech’s 19-4 first-half run was keyed by nine points off the bench from junior forward Jamar Flowers (White Castle, La.). Flowers, who entered the game as Tech’s fourth leading scorer on the season, finished the night with 16 points and seven rebounds. Prior to Saturday’s game, Flowers had scored a total of five points in his previous three games.

“Jamar gave a great effort tonight for us off the bench,” the second-year Tech coach said. “He had been struggling coming into the game, but he never put his head down and kept playing hard.”

  Tech, who led 41-31 at the half, watched the Muleriders chip away at its lead as SAU opened the second half scoring the first five points to pull within 41-36. Following that run, the Wonder Boys jumped back in front 51-40 thanks to a 10-4 run, which was keyed by five points from junior guard Chad Henderson (Memphis, Tenn.). Henderson led the way for Tech with a career-high 20 points.

 “Chad Henderson has the ability to do what he did tonight in every game he plays,” Downey said.

SAU, though, wouldn’t go away as they used a 22-17 run over a span of 11-plus minutes to pull within 66-62 thanks to a three-pointer by Brandon Williams. Williams’ trey was his third during the run. A lay-up by junior forward Troy Marcus (Bronx, NY) increased Tech’s lead to 68-62 with 2:37 remaining in the game, before the Muleriders once again pulled within four points at 68-64 with 2:01 left on a lay-up by Cameron Butler. The Wonder Boys, though, would close the game scoring the final six points to make the final margin.

Senior guard Darren Tarver (Akron, Ohio) and sophomore guard Renard Allen (New Orleans, La.) joined Henderson and Flowers in double figures with 14 and 10 points respectively for the Wonder Boys.

In addition to Flowers’ 16 points and seven boards off the bench, freshman guard Laithe Massey (Heber Springs, Ark.) scored only two points, but had seven rebounds and collected three steals in 19 minutes of action off the bench.

“Our bench gave us a lift tonight, much like they have been doing over the past several games,” said Downey.

SAU, who fell to 10-6 overall and 1-2 in the GSC with the loss, was led by Williams’ 17 points, while Cory Green added 10 points and seven assists.

For the game, Tech shot 51 percent from the field, but struggled shooting from long distance (25 percent) and from the free throw line (56 percent) and held a 40-35 edge on the glass. Meanwhile, SAU shot 41 percent from the floor and 38 percent (9-for-24) from long distance, but connected on only seven of its 15 free throws (47 percent) in the loss. In addition, SAU committed 18 turnovers, while Tech had 15 turnovers for the game. The Muleriders entered the game averaging just 12 turnovers per game.  

The Wonder Boys will conclude its two-game GSC road swing on Thursday, Jan. 24, when they travel to Searcy, Ark., to face Harding in a 7:30 contest at Rhodes Fieldhouse. The match-up will be battle of the lone two unbeaten teams in the West Division standings as Harding moved to 3-0 in league play with its 62-57 win Saturday at home over Ouachita Baptist.

          Southern Arkansas Box Score

-- Tech Athletics --