Clarksville, Ark.-The Eagles put a scare into the American Southwest Conference East Division leader Thursday night only to see Texas-Tyler score 44 second half points and earn a 80-68 win.
The Patriots stay atop the division with a 6-2 league mark and a 11-3 overall record. For at least one half Ozarks (4-10, 2-7 ASC) proved it could play with the best. The Eagles led 39-36 at the half behind 11 points from Ronnie Dodd and 10 points from Marcus Bobb. With Texas-Tyler leading 24-23 at the 7:49 mark of the first half, Ozarks reeled off a 11-2 run to go ahead 34-26 with 4:32 remaining. Texas-Tyler eventually tied the game with nine seconds left, but Andrew Cummings drilled a three-point shot as the buzzer sounded to put Ozarks in front by three points.
The final ten minutes of the second half was a much different story for Ozarks as it let an eight-point lead slip away. The Patriots outscored Ozarks 21-9 in the final eight minutes of the game. Texas-Tyler found its rhythm midway through the second half and built a 65-59 advantage at the 7:08 mark.
Dodd finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds and Bobb scored 21 points. Cummings added 17 points and Jermery Victor contributed 11 points. Isaiah Boxell dished out 12 assists, eight of which came in the first half.