Arkansas Tech Second Half Dooms Southern Arkansas

By: Houston Taylor, SID

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Seventeenth-ranked Arkansas Tech (11-3, 1-0 GSC) outscored Southern Arkansas (6-7, 0-1 GSC) by a 47-27 margin in the second half to roll on to an 80-59 win in the teams’ Gulf South Conference openers Saturday at the W.T. Watson Athletic Center.

The Wonder Boys held a slim 33-32 advantage at the break before the Muleriders took their first, and largest, lead of the game 44-41 on senior center Charles Moore’s three-pointer at 15:10 in the second. From that point, ATU erupted over the next eight minutes with a 20-2 run and took a 61-46 margin on Thiago Cordeiro’s two free throws. SAU got off only four shots during that span, missing three, and suffered six turnovers.

Cordeiro posted 17 second half points en route to a game-high 28, including 11 scored during the eight minute scoring spree.

SAU was within 10 points at 63-53 on another Moore trey at 5:25, but Tech pulled away for an 80-55 lead, their largest, at 1:49. A lay-up from Moore and another from sophomore forward Justin Stuart set the final margin.

The Wonder Boys led the entire first half and were up 20-10 on Cordeiro’s lay-up at 11:56. But Southern Arkansas rallied to knot it 32-32 on one of two free throws from junior guard Tony James at 1:15. Troy Marcus then hit one of two for the ATU lead at the break.

Cordeiro did his damage in just 26 minutes of play, hitting 11 of 16 from the floor, including one trey, and 5 of 6 freebies. He added three rebounds and a blocked shot.

Arkansas Tech shot 58.1 percent (18 of 31) during their second half outburst and finished 30 of 65 (46.2 percent) for the game, including 4 of 13 (30.8) beyond the arc. They were 16 of 25 (64.0) at the free throw line.

The Wonder Boys pushed it up the court the whole night, getting 14 more field goal attempts than the Muleriders. SAU was 21 of 51 (41.2) for the game, hitting 7 of 16 (43.8) from downtown. They came into the contest second best in the conference at the free throw line (73.4 percent), but managed just 10 of 19 (52.6).

Chad Henderson chipped in 15 points for ATU, Brandon Friedel had 12, and Renard Allen added 11. Laithe Massey pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds.

Moore paced Southern Arkansas with 14 points and eight rebounds. Junior guard Sanchez Dade scored 13, and freshman guard Cory Clark chipped in 11. James, who sparked the Muleriders to their 66-63 win over LeTourneau on Monday with 17 points, was held to just six, but tossed out a game-high seven assists.

Turnovers doomed SAU, committing 18 that Tech converted into 28 points. The Wonder Boys had 11. ATU also held a commanding 46-29 rebound advantage that they used for a 20-6 margin on second chance points and outscored Southern Arkansas 42-28 inside.

The Muleriders travel to Searcy Thursday to face Harding in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

Photos by Bill Nielsen