The University of Arkansas at Monticello had a group of special guests on Tuesday, December 13, as the Weevils hosted Monticello Elementary and Intermediate students for the “Billie Ball” game against Langston University.
The Weevils were coming off their first conference win of the season, defeating Harding University in Searcy on Saturday by the score of 77-72.
Hosting the Langston University Lions, a team that is currently ranked #15 in the NAIA National Rankings and came into the contest against the Weevils with a 12-0 record.
With the Monticello students cheers filling Steelman Fieldhouse, at times at an almost deafening pitch, the Weevils would get rolling early in the contest, going on an 8-0 run to begin the contest after Timur Krupalija scored the first two points of the contest followed by three-pointers by Edwin Louis and Mario Fantina.
Langston would chip away at the Weevil lead, taking the lead with 11:49 remaining in the half.
Langston would extend their lead to five points, their largest of the half, with 8:49 remaining in the half, but the Weevils would come back to retake the lead and would close out the half with a seven-point, 33-26, lead at the halftime break.
Returning from the break, the Weevils would extend their lead in the second half to double digits.
The first double-digit lead would be 11 points on a layup by Issac Jackson with 16:00 remaining in the contest, 41-30.
The Weevils would continue to add to their lead, extending the lead to the largest margin of the contest on the last bucket of the game, extending the lead to 24 points on a successful layup and free throw by Cole Anderson for the final score of 69-45.
Josh Denton led the Weevils in scoring with 28 points followed by Timur Krupalija with 15 points.
Mario Fantina scored nine points, Issac Jackson with seven, Edwin Louis with six, and Cole Anderson rounding out the scoring with four points.
Later in the day, the UAM Blossoms would break their four game losing streak with an 87-70 win over non-conference opponent Bible Baptist College.
The Weevils and Blossoms will return to action on Saturday, December 17, returning to Steelman Fieldhouse for the “Jingle Jam” facing Great American Conference opponent Ouachita Baptist University. The Blossoms will take the court first at 1 pm.
