Mickens Leads UAM to Road Win Over ECU

Courtesy UAM Athletics Department

ADA, Okla. – Junior Dayton Mickens scored a career-high 21 points to lead the University of Arkansas at Monticello men’s basketball team to a 69-59 victory over East Central on the road Thursday in Great American Conference action.

Mickens finished the game 9-of-19 from the field, 2-of-5 on three-pointers and 1-of-1 at the foul line to along with his six rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and one steal. Mickens quieted a late ECU rally with his second three-pointer of the game to finalize the scoring with 1:21 remaining.

UAM (7-4, 2-3 GAC) never trailed in the game, gaining a double-digit lead of 11 points at the 12:27 mark of the first half on a made three-pointer from senior Kori Forge. That was followed by a dunk from Mickens to give UAM’s its largest lead of the first half of 13 points.

ECU (4-7, 1-4 GAC) rallied back to within four points following a 9-0 scoring run over the next three minutes. The Tigers later got to within three points of the Boll Weevils with 35 seconds remaining in the opening half.

The Weevils opened the second half on a 5-0 scoring run to recapture a double-digit lead, which the team maintained until the Tigers posted a 9-0 scoring run to get to within seven points with just over two minutes remaining before Mickens’ trey sealed UAM’s first road conference victory of the year.

As a team, UAM shot 44 percent from the field (30-of-69), 26 percent on three-pointers (6-of-23) and 75 percent on foul shots (3-of-4). ECU shot 43 percent from the field (21-of-49), 24 percent on three-pointers (5-of-21) and 71 percent on foul shots (12-of-17).

In addition to Mickens’ game-high 21 points, UAM placed three other scorers in double-digits. Senior A.J. Calhoun recorded his third double-double of the year with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Jamal Nixon and Forge also reached the double-digit platform with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Nixon added five assists and three steals in his 26 minutes off the bench.

ECU was led by Colby Carr’s double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds. Braxton Reeves added 12 points off the bench.

The Boll Weevils are back in action on Saturday, January 5 on the road against Southeastern Oklahoma State. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. in Durant, Okla. at Bloomer Sullivan Arena.