Slow Start Downs Storm at Ouachita Baptist

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Southeastern was unable to overcome slow starts in the first and second halves, falling 69-52 to Ouachita Baptist in the Bill Vining Arena.
 
The Savage Storm shot 45.7 percent from the field and were limited at the three-point line with six makes on 35.3 percent shooting. Ethan Scott paced the scoring for SE with a season-high 19 points on 5-8 shooting from beyond the arc. Chandler Dickinson followed with 11 points, while Augusto Toledo led the team on the glass with seven rebounds.
 
SE (2-6, 1-1 GAC) returns to Bloomer Sullivan Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 10, to host Northwestern Oklahoma State at 7:30 p.m.
 
Southeastern had to weather an early flurry from the Tigers in the opening minutes of the first half, trailing 9-2. Ouachita continued to score in bunches with its lead growing to 16-6 before the Storm began to find their footing through a Scott three-pointer. Scott took control of the blue and gold offense, knocking down another triple and later a layup to trim the Tigers' edge to 21-16.
 
The blue and gold quickly flipped the momentum in its favor over the next five minutes with a layup from Tyler Long that sparked an 8-0 run to give the blue and gold a 24-23 lead. The two sides traded baskets, as SE led 28-27, but the Storm would be held scoreless in the final two and a half minutes, allowing the Tigers to take a 32-28 lead into halftime.
 
The Storm's scoring slump continued from the end of the first half into the second, as the blue and gold had one basket in the opening five minutes. This allowed Ouachita to add to its lead with the gap stretching to 42-30. Similar to the first period, Scott got the offense going again, connecting from deep, and baskets from Ethan Wilkerson and Long trimmed the deficit to eight.
 
From there, both teams dialed in from deep, as the two sides combined for five triples across the next six minutes. During this stretch, Toledo knocked down a trey, and Scott made two more with the Tigers leading 59-49. Ouachita picked up the pace again to close out the game on a 10-3 run to win 69-52.