Five Reach Double-Figures as Storm Down ECU

ADA, Okla. – Five players cracked double figures, with Adam Dworsky and Jett Sternberger posting 21 points each, as Southeastern logged win number 20 of the season, downing rival East Central 84-74 in Ada, Okla., on Sunday afternoon.
 
The win lifts the Savage Storm to 20-5 on the season and 15-4 in Great American Conference play heading into its final road game of the regular season set for 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 22 against Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Ark., making up a missed contest from Dec. 30.
 
The win also gives SE 20 wins on the year, reaching the 20-win mark for the third time int h last four seasons.
 
"Every win feels great," said head coach Kelly Green. "We let one slip away back in January. And to their credit, they outplayed us. They played harder than we did down the stretch. We didn't make free throws when we needed to, and they got us at our place. We've been talking with our guys; this is another step up the rung on the ladder. We're trying to get to the top of the ladder right now."
 
Dworsky and Sternberger led the offense with 21 points each and Dworsky was 10-of-17 form the field while Sternberger connected on 8-of-15.
 
Bobby Johnson followed with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting, with Ante Brzovic right behind with 13.
 
Kellen Manek connected on half of the team's six three-point buckets and would finish the contest with 11 points.
 
Dworsky dished out a team-high five assists and Manek was right behind with four.
 
Brzovic racked up another double-double as he hauled in a game-high 16 rebounds, picking up his 11^th double-double and his 13^th double-digit rebounding effort.
 
Manek was next in line with eight boards as SE held a 39-to-32 edge on the glass as a team.
 
He would also snag three of the six Storm steals in the game.
 
Southeastern did a chunk of work at the rim, holding a 46-16 advantage in points in the paint while also cashing in on turnovers by a 13-5 margin.
 
The game was back and forth from the outset with three ties and six lead changes over the first 9:06, before an 8-0 ECU run would leave the Storm in a 27-21 hole with 9:39 to play in the half.
 
RJ Weeks would answer with a jumper and two possessions later Brzovic would connect on a threem setting up a Dworsky jumper with 7:46 to play to regain the lead.
 
It was brief though as the Tigers answered about 11 seconds later.
 
Southeastern would respond from that point on, scoring the next 11 points straight en route to a 21-5 run over the final 7:35 to lead 49-34 at the half.
 
ECU would chip away at the Storm advantage, closing the gap to 12 points by the 13:56 mark of the second half.
 
Southeastern answered with nine-straight and Johnson would give the Storm its largest lead of the game with a fastbreak bucket at the 12:02 mark to take a 66-45 lead.
 
SE would keep the lead hovering near 20 points until the 7:22 mark when ECU looked to put together a rally, outscoring the Storm 20-10 over that time, but SE was able to hold on for the 84-74 victory.