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MONTICELLO – Despite shooting a season-low 38 percent from the field and missing 17 free throw attempts, the University of Arkansas at Monticello men's basketball team recorded its eight straight victory of the season on Saturday, defeating Southeastern Oklahoma State 65-57 at home.

The Weevils (10-2, 4-1 Great American Conference) were sent to the free throw line 45 times in Saturday's win, resulting in two Southeastern players fouling out and two others ending the night with four fouls. However, UAM did not take advantage of opportunities to expand the score differential, making only 28charity shots, five of which came in the final minute of regulation to prevent the Savage Storm from making a comeback.

The largest lead for either squad was UAM's final margin of eight points. Southeastern led by as much as five points early in the first half in a game that features six tie scores and 12 lead changes.

A back-and-forth first half would end with UAM using a 5-0 run to grab a seven-point lead of 37-30 at the break. The only scoring run larger than five in the first 20 minutes was a 6-0 spurt UAM put together starting at the 14:25 mark and ending with a three-pointer from junior Sharif Hudson at the 12:10mark to turn a five-point deficit into a one-point lead.

A pair of free throws from Southeastern's Anton Cook at the 10:52 mark gave the Savage Storm (4-5, 2-2 GAC) its first lead of the second half, stretched to a three-point lead less than a minute later on a fast break layup from John Balwigaire. That was Southeastern's largest lead of the second half.

UAM responded with a 6-2 scoring run to regain the lead for the final time of the game, despite one more tie score forced by Southeastern with 6:19 remaining.

In the final six minutes of the game, UAM made 7-of-13 free throws, five ofwhich coming from senior Jared Harrison.

The Weevils finished the contest shooting 38 percent from the field (16-for-42), 56 percent on three-pointers (5-for-9) and 62 percent on foul shots (28-for-45). Southeastern shot 34 percent (21-for-61), 18 percent on three-pointers (3-for-17) and 75 percent on foul shots (12-for-16).

With Harrison's five free throws in the final six minutes of the game, the Slidell, La. native increased his point total to 16 for the game to tie Southeastern's Urald King for the game-high in scoring. Sharif Hudson added 15 points, and senior Brandon Wilson added 10 points and seven rebounds.
 
The Weevils are back in action on Thursday, January 9 at Southern Nazarene. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. in Bethany, Okla.