Three Ouachita Baptist University men’s basketball players reached double figures in scoring, but it wasn’t enough as the Tigers dropped a 77-70 Gulf South Conference West Division game to Delta State at Bill Vining Arena.
Rowan Ledbetter paced Ouachita (12-9 overall, 2-6 GSC West) with 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, while Antonio Benjamin added 17 points. Daniel Maddox came off the bench to pour in 13 points as the Tigers were 26-of-62 (42 percent) from the floor and 9-of-14 (64 percent) from the foul line.
Delta State, which led 31-28 at the half, used a 12-3 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Eric Spencer to grab a 56-48 advantage with 8:37 remaining in the second half. Ouachita tried to battle back from as many as 13 second-half points as Benjamin drained a three with 4:34 left to cut the margin to 54-44.
But the Statesmen were too much and the Tigers never got any closer than 77-70.
Alton Robinson scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting to lead Delta State (16-5, 6-2). Joe McCray and Stanley Copeland each had 10 points as the Statesmen were 31-of-53 (59 percent) shooting and 7-of-12 (58 percent) from the free-throw line.
The Tigers have a week off before traveling 7:00 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12 to No. 10 Christian Brothers. The Gulf South Conference West Division contest can be heard on the Ouachita Baptist University Athletic Web site at: www.obutigers.com or on KYXK-FM 106.9 and through live stats at: www.sidearmstats.com/cbu/mbball/
