MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas men's basketball team returned home to the W.T. Watson Center on Thursday night where they were 10-2 on the year coming into the game. East Central, however, thanks in part to 16 made three-pointers, kept the win column from growing for SAU as ECU picked up an 86-73 win.
 
The three-point barrage that the Tigers (16-7, 10-5 GAC) would go on for the game began early in the contest as ECU's first two baskets came from long range. The Tigers would go on to knock down six more trifectas in the first half as they ended up going 8-of-19 (42%) from deep en route to taking a nine-point lead into the break, 39-30.
 
In the second half, the hot shooting by the Tigers from beyond the arc continued as they knocked down three of their first four attempts to open the second half; keeping the Muleriders (14-8, 10-6 GAC) at bay.
 
Despite the solid shooting by East Central, the Muleriders refused to go away in the game, bringing themselves to within eight points, 74-66, as Alvin Braddock completed an old-fashioned three-point play with 6:07 left in the game. 
 
Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Muleriders would get as the Tigers used the next two minutes of game time to go on a methodical 7-0 run with five of the points coming from the charity stripe as ECU swelled their lead back out its largest of 15 points, 81-66, with 4:11 remaining.
 
Statistically, the Muleriders would shoot 41% (26-of-64) as a team while also controlling the paint by out-scoring ECU 38-22. Individually, the Muleriders would have three players score in double figures with Chauncy Williams leading the way with 21 points. Behind Williams was Deon Andrews with 18 points and Braddock added 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting off the bench for the Muleriders.
 
The Muleriders will look to regroup on Saturday as they welcome in Southwestern Oklahoma for a pivotal GAC clash. Tip-off for the game is set for 3 p.m. inside the W.T. Watson Center.