RUSSELLVILLE, Ark – After an impressive 6-0 start to the 2017-18 season, Northwestern Oklahoma State men's basketball dropped their first game of the year 86-83 to the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys. The Ranger's mental toughness was alive and well as the black-and-red nearly erased a 21 point second-half Wonder Boy lead.

Trailing by as many as 21 in the second half with 9:24 remaining, the Rangers weren't about to go down without a fight. Cody Halvorson and Greg Minor Jr. pushed the Rangers to within five after a remarkable 16-0 run late in the second half. After junior transfer Treyvon Andres grabbed six straight points on the Rangers next three possessions, Northwestern closed the gap to just three points before having to foul to stay alive.

Down 86-81 with Brandon Green on the line, Minor pulled down the rebound and fought through traffic to get the Rangers back within three. An errant inbound pass from Arkansas Tech left the Rangers with nine seconds on the clock, the ball, and a chance to tie it up, but Halvorson's attempt at a game-tying three just couldn't find mesh as time expired.

Off to their best start (6-0) since 2010-11, the Rangers rolled into Saturday's game fresh off a 22 point victory over perennial GAC powerhouse Harding University. But the Rangers struggled out of the gate and a series of empty possessions allowed ATU to construct a comfortable lead.

Arkansas Tech entered play unbeaten inside Tucker Coliseum (4-0) and found themselves riding a three-game win streak after beating Southwestern Oklahoma State 88-81 on Thursday. The Wonder Boys hit 18 three-pointers in the win over SWOSU including seven from  forward Mason Cline. Their high-powered offense was on display in Saturday's matinee as they shot over 50 percent from the field to knock off the first place Rangers.

ATU was able to build an early advantage, leading by as many as 15 before the Rangers charged back to cut the lead to just two. The Wonder Boys would control the pace in the opening frame, shooting 51 percent from the field led by Trevin Woods and Leonardo Edwards. Woods' 16 first-half points sent the Rangers to the locker room facing an 11 point deficit at the break.

Despite the loss, head coach Shawn Dirden was given a glimpse of his team's ability to rally when down late. After a pair of quiet performances, Greg Minor Jr. picked up a double-double and proved that he can be a difference maker down the stretch. The 6'2" senior out of Lousiville, Ky. scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half and pulled down 11 rebounds. Andres had 17 points and added three steals while playing a game-high 35 minutes.

Up Next
The Rangers will get a month long break from Great American Conference action but will fill the void with a pair of non-conference games in the coming weeks. Northwestern will return to the hardwood on Saturday, Dec. 9 when they head to Wichita, Kan. for non-conference action at Newman University. Game time is slated for 3 p.m.

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