MONTICELLO, Ark. – The University of Arkansas at Monticello men's basketball team used an impressive second half of shooting to propel itself to an 87-68 victory over Central Baptist College at the Steelman Field House in Monticello, Arkansas on Tuesday night. Denzel McDuffey collected a double-double in the win with 20 points and 13 rebounds, while also adding six assists.
 
The Weevils shot its lowest field goal percentage of a half this season in the first period at 36.1 percent but heated up all over the floor in the second period to shoot 62.1 percent and snag the win.
 
Early in the first, the Weevils went on an 15-4 run to start the game, but cooled off a bit following the first media timeout. The Mustangs got back into it cutting the lead to three. Austin Hardy and Wanya King helped answer back with a couple of baskets though. Hardy rolled off a pick to hit a jumper, then Keyon Craddock found King in the corner for a triple to put the Weevils up 10.
 
UAM's shooting from downtown slowed a little later and CBC went on a 5-2 run to close out the first period. Simon Okolue hit a couple of free throws and Darius Williams drained a three to cut the lead to six. Justin Slocum then hit a basket in the paint for the last score of the half, and UAM took a 35-27 lead into the break.
 
In the second period, the Weevils turned things around. After a pair of Mustangs baskets to limit the lead to three, KJ Lesure hit a jumper and McDuffey received a dish from Lesure to hit a layup. In the next two possessions, Marcus Gilbert got free for a pair of baskets, and then Lesure hit King in the corner for another triple to push the lead to 12, 46-34.
 
Following a few Mustang scores, Lesure hit one from downtown on an assist from McDuffey, and Gilbert hit a jumper off a pass from Kwame McBean to make the lead, 55-42.
 
The Weevils would later keep increasing their lead thanks to some great play by McDuffey. He hit a couple of baskets off fastbreaks, and later Gilbert hit a layup off a steal from Hardy. In the final two minutes, UAM got its lead to the largest of the night at 24 points when McBean got a bucket and a foul, hitting the free throw to make it, 84-61.
 
UAM would later add a few points to its score and CBC would get to 68, but it was not enough as the Weevils won the game, 87-68.
 
McDuffey had his double-double and he was accompanied by a pair of UAM players who had double-digits in the points category in Gilbert (20) and Slocum (14).
 
Lesure tallied a season-high in assists with 11.
 
On defense, UAM was active forcing 25 turnovers and tallying five blocks. Slocum led the way with three swats, while McDuffey and Hardy had one apiece.
 
With the win, UAM improves to 5-1 on the year increasing its win streak to five, while Central Baptist falls to 5-3. All three of CBC's losses have come from NCAA Division II opponents.
 
UP NEXT
UAM will remain at home when it hosts Jarvis Christian this Saturday for a 4 p.m. tipoff at the Steelman Field House.