The University of Arkansas at Monticello Boll Weevils have improved their overall record to 3-2 before entering into Great American Conference play beginning on Thursday, December 1.
The Weevils have won three consecutive games including their first win of the season against Ecclesia College on November 17.
Hosting Arkansas Baptist on Tuesday, November 22, the Weevils would see the Buffaloes get out to a 5-0 lead after connecting on a three-pointer and a jump shot in the first minute of action.
Timur Krupalija would tie the contest at five for the weevils after a layup and a successful free throw attempt and second layup with 18:17 showing on the clock.
The Weevils largest lead of the game would come with 8:09 remaining in the half off a layup by Edwin Louis gave the Weevils a 16-point advantage. It was the second time in the half that the Weevils had led by 16 points
Arkansas Baptist began to chip away at the Weevil lead, cutting it to nine points with 2:25 remaining in the half.
At the 1:50 mark, the Buffaloes’ Nichola Hargrove Jr. connected on a three-pointer to cut the lead to six points, 41-35.
Edwin Louis would halt the Buffaloes’ 9-0 run with a single free throw with Arkansas Baptist connecting on the last three of the half to cut the lead to four points, 42-38, at the half.
UAM would continue to lead throughout the remainder of the contest with the Buffaloes cutting the lead to just a single point several times during the second half, but could never capture the lead from the Weevils with UAM holding off Arkansas Baptist 75-72 for their second win of the season.
Edwin Louis led the way for the Weevils with a season high of 21 points followed by Mario Fantina with 15. Issac Jackson scored 12 with Josh Denton being the fourth Weevil player in double-digits with 10 points.
Timur Krupalija added eight points, Cole Anderson with five, and Alex Brogdon rounding out the scoring with four points.
Returning to Steelman Fieldhouse on Saturday, November 26, hosting Williams Baptist College, the Weevils would get on the board to begin the contest with a three by Louis.
After relinquishing the lead 5-3, Louis connected on his second three of the game to give the Weevils a 6-5 lead.
Both teams would go back and forth for the majority of the half with each team holding the lead on several different occasions.
The Eagle’s TJ Clardy would connect on a jumper to give the Eagles a three-point, 34-31, lead with 2:07 remaining in the half.
Krupalija would be fouled on the next Weevils possession but would only connect on one of two from the free throw line to cut the Eagle lead to two points.
Mario Fantina would connect on the final basket of the half, a three-pointer, to give the Weevils a one-point, 35-34, lead at the break.
Fantina would start the second half with a jumper to give the Weevils a three point lead, but Williams Baptist would get two three-pointers to regain the lead, 40-37.
With 12:32 remaining in the contest, Fantina would hit a jumper that tied the contest at 48, and with 10:07 on the clock, Krupalija would give the Weevils the lead for the final time in the contest on a layup.
The Weevils continued to lead for the remainder of the contest, taking the contest with a final score of 71-64.
Edwin Louis and Mario Fantina led the Weevils with 18 points each followed by Timur Krupalija with 12.
Josh Denton added nine points, Issac Jackson and Cole Anderson with six, and Cam Rhodes rounding out the scoring with two points.
With the win, the Weevils improve to 3-2 on the season and will begin conference play on Thursday, December 1, travelling to Russellville to face Arkansas Tech University Wonder Boys with a 7:30 pm tip scheduled.
The Weevils will return to Steelman Fieldhouse on Saturday, December 3, for a 3 pm tipoff in their second conference contest of the season hosting Henderson State University Reddies.
