ALVA, Okla. – Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rangers dropped a great match-up against East Central university Monday evening before heading home for winter break. Northwestern and the Tigers had 11 different lead changes throughout the game with a halftime score of only one-point differential 36-35 in East Central's favor. A hard fought second quarter again came out in the Tigers favor as they took the game 79-74.
 
Northwestern was led by the hot hand of Parrish Hewitt. The junior guard led the team with an astounding 31 points as he went 11-19 from the field and 4-8 from beyond the arc. He also tallied a team leading three blocks. Senior Jaedon Whitfield earned his third double-double of the year with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The Ranger post was 7-10 from the free throw line, and 3-6 from the field. He led the team in steals with three and tallied two blocks.  
 
The first half was a back-and-forth battle between both teams. The Rangers went 10-26 from the field, 38%, and went 16% from deep. East Central took the lead early in the first half but could not shake the Black-and-Red, as they were unable to pull away more than three points.
 
A three-point shot from Hewitt gave the Black-and-Red the lead with 13 minutes left in the half. Northwestern was able to hang onto that lead reaching a seven-point lead twice, but ECU came screaming back at the three-minute-mark. A final jumper from Nathan Bailey III sent the Rangers into halftime trailing by one, 35-36.
 
The Rangers were able to keep up with the Tigers in the second half as they averaged almost 40% from beyond the arc, while ECU averaged only 18% from deep. East Central took their momentum from the end of the first half right into the second. The took the biggest lead of the game, 12 points, at the fourteen-minute mark.
 
Northwestern answered with a 9-2 run and cut the lead to only two. A lay-up and a foul for another free-throw gave the Black-and-Red a momentum swing that led to a four-point lead from the Rangers with five minutes left in the game. Unfortunately, a turnover and lay-up from ECU gave them the final push to take the game 79-74 despite a last-ditch effort from Clive Allen who earned five points in the final seconds of play.
 
NWOSU was outscored on points after turnovers, 14-8, but held their own in second chance points with 10 to ECU's six. East Central earned almost 17 points from their bench, while the Rangers only tallied 17.
 
The Rangers are not scheduled to play another Great American Conference opponent until they face-off against Southern Arkansas January 2nd. The Black-and-Red will tip-off in Magnolia, Ark. at 7:00 p.m. after the Lady Rangers match-up.

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