ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello football team forced six turnovers to defeat Ouachita Baptist 44-24 on the road in Gulf South Conference action.

 
Junior Emanuel White (6-1, 200, Lakeland, Fla.) led the defense with 13 total tackles, 11 of which were un-assisted. Junior Jeremy Brown (6-0, 190, Tangiphahoa, La.) and junior Lowen Baptiste (5-10, 185, Margate, Fla.) were responsible for the other two interceptions.

 
As a whole, the UAM defense picked off five passes, which tied a UAM single-game record.

 
After winning the coin toss and choosing to receive the kickoff, sophomore tailback Johnny Polite (5-5, 175, McGehee, Ark.) capped off UAM’s first offensive possession with a six-yard touchdown run in an eight-play, 78-yard drive that used 5:42. The drive was helped by a 15-yard personal foul facemask penalty committed by OBU defensive lineman Bryan Church on a two-yard completion from Buisson to senior receiver Tim Harris (6-2, 210, Kansas City, Mo.).

 
After Arnett’s pick and a UAM punt, the UAM defense held OBU to only a field goal after allowing the Tigers to start the drive from the UAM 27-yard line. Tiger kicker Zack Wright capped off the drive with a 26-yard field goal, his seventh of the season.

The Weevil defense held strong on OBU’s third possession, forcing a Tiger punt, but a fumble by sophomore quarterback Scott Buisson (5-10, 175, Metaire, La.) on the first play of the drive was picked up by OBU’s Jimmy Pinkney in the end zone, giving the Tigers a 10-7 lead with 10:58 left in the first half.

The Weevils regained the lead with 3:52 left in the first half with a one-play 69-yard drive. That one play was a 69-yard touchdown strike from Buisson to a wide-open Clarence Denmark down the middle of the field. A busted extra-point attempt gave UAM a 13-10 lead.

Buisson extended the Weevil lead with a 46-yard touchdown scamper on UAM’s first offensive drive of the second half. The drive went two plays for 48 yards and lasted 37 seconds to give the Weevils a 20-10 with 13:31 left in the third quarter.

Buisson used his legs again to extend the Weevil lead, this time from five yards out to finish a five-play, 42-yard drive that used 1:37 to give UAM a 27-10 lead with 11:00 left in the third quarter.

OBU tailback K.J. Johnson pulled the Tigers to within 10 points with a seven-yard touchdown run that capped off a nine-play, 72-yard drive that used 3:12 to trim the Weevil lead to 27-17 with 7:40 left in the third quarter.

After senior Solomon Edwards (5-9, 185, Wilmot, Ark.) recovered the sixth OBU turnover of the game, the Weevils capitalized with a four-play, 28-yard drive capped off by a four-yard touchdown run by sophomore Jywin Ceaser (5-10, 180, Marrero, La.) to give the Weevils a 34-17 lead with 2:11 left in the third quarter.

The Tigers did not go away quietly, trimming the UAM lead to 37-24 on a 13-play, 96-yard drive, capped off by 26-yard touchdown pass from Tiger quarterback Lance Parker to Julius Pruitt with 3:29 left in the game.

The Weevils wrapped up the game’s scoring with a four-play, 42-yard drive capped off by a 24-yard pass from junior quarterback Casey Cathcart (6-0, 180, Santa Maria, Calif.) to sophomore Lindsey Spinks (5-11, 185, Meridian, Miss.) to give UAM its final lead of 44-24 with 1:33 left in the contest.

Buisson finished the game with 113 yards rushing on 17 carries, including two touchdown runs. Through the air, Buisson completed 20 of 33 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown strike.

Polite carried the ball 18 times for 86 yards, including one touchdown run.

Tim Harris led the UAM receivers with seven catches for 51 yards, while Ceaser brought down six catches for 69 yards. Denmark caught three passes for 83 yards, including his 69-yard touchdown catch.

With the win, the Weevils improve to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the GSC, while the Tigers drop to 2-3 overall and 1-3 in the GSC.

UAM continues GSC action on Thursday, October 9 at home against West Georgia. The game is part of the GSC-TV Game of the Week package, produced by Comcast Sports Southeast in partnership with Cox Sports Television.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The game can be seen in Monticello on cable channel 31.