OUACHITA BAPTIST 81, ARKANSAS-LITTLE ROCK 79
The Ouachita Baptist University men's basketball team was not fazed by playing in the only NCAA Division I venue they'll play in during the 2017-2018 season.
Making the one-hour trip from their campus in Arkadelphia, the NCAA Division II Tigers knocked down 14 three-pointers in a 81-79 victory over the University of Arkansas at Little Rock on Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 2,078 at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.
"You get this opportunity, once in a lifetime, for our level. They were excited," OBU Coach Dennis Nutt said. "Shots were going in tonight.
"Our guys did the most with it."
OBU (1-0) shot 73.7 percent (14 of 19) in the second half and 54.7 percent (29 of 53) overall. The Tigers went 14-of-28 from three-point range.
"We didn't guard the three-point line like we're capable of," UALR Coach Wes Flanigan said.
Senior guard Jontavis Willis, a former Norphlet High School product, led OBU with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting and made 4 three-pointers. Willis also had five rebounds and three assists.
Also, freshman forward Matt Stanley from Cabot scored 17 points and made 3 three-pointers. Juniors Wesley Franklin and Mahlon Martin, a former Episcopal Collegiate standout, each had 11 points for the Tigers.
UALR (0-1) was led by freshman forward Damir Hadzic, who scored 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Junior guard Ben Marcus finished with 12 points, senior forward Wadly Mompremier had 11 points and sophomore guard Andre Jones added 10 points. The Trojans shot 55 percent (33 of 60) and made 6 of 20 (30 percent) from three-point range.
The Tigers led 40-34 at halftime and their largest lead was 71-60 with 7:51 remaining. Marcus made back-to-back layups to pull the Trojans within 72-66 with 4:39 left.
OBU responded, as Stanley and Martin each hit a three-pointer to stretch the Tigers' lead to 78-68 with 2:42 remaining.
"We had a chance there, with a one- or two-possession game," Flanigan said. "We gambled like two or three times ago and it opened them up. When we put ourselves in a hole like that, it's going to be difficult to come back from that."
Junior guard Camron Reedus' three-pointer cut the lead to 78-75 with 52 seconds remaining, but Martin made two free throws with 33.3 seconds left. Jones scored with 12 seconds left to pull UALR within 80-77. With 8.2 seconds left, Martin knocked down one of two free throws for an 81-77 lead. Hadzic made a layup before time expired to set the final score.
OBU, which finished 14-14 overall and 11-11 in the Great American Conference last season, led for 30:14 Saturday.
"Guys made plays. That's what you've got to have," Nutt said. "Martin made those free throws at the end. We're proud of it."
UALR begins a three-game road trip Tuesday at Memphis, then heads to Grand Canyon on Nov. 18 and San Diego on Nov. 20. Flanigan was disappointed with Saturday's loss, but with a young team that played nine players that earned their first minutes in a Trojans uniform, he's attempting to keep his program even-keeled, even after a loss to the Division II Tigers.
"Everything in our locker room is positive right now," Flanigan said. "I thought we showed some fight and some determination in getting back in the game. But we've got to do a better job, bottom line."
Sports on 11/12/2017