Prescott, Ariz. – OUAZ men's basketball came up just short on Saturday afternoon, falling 67-65 to the Stanton Elks in the final game of the ERAU Halloween Classic hosted by Embry-Riddle. The Spirit move to 2-2 on the season following the two-point defeat.
OUAZ battled back throughout the contest after trailing 38-31 at halftime. Stanton pushed its lead to double digits during the second half, but the Spirit responded with a late rally and eventually claimed their first lead of the game at 65-64 with less than two minutes remaining.
The Elks answered with a free throw to tie the game before scoring the go-ahead basket with 44 seconds left. OUAZ had opportunities in the closing moments but was unable to find the tying or winning basket as Stanton escaped with the victory.
Carter Gittens led the Spirit with 14 points and eight rebounds while adding two assists and a block. Quinn Thorne matched the team-high with 14 points, knocking down three shots from beyond the arc. Trevor Thompson added 12 points and four assists while connecting on four three-pointers.
Max Mkpa controlled the paint with nine rebounds to go along with six points and an assist. Tyran Simpson contributed six points and two steals, while Josh Hardeman provided six points off the bench.
The Spirit forced 16 turnovers and limited Stanton to just 40 percent shooting from the free-throw line, but OUAZ struggled offensively, shooting 32.2 percent from the field and 25.6 percent from three-point range.
OUAZ will return to Faith Arena for its home opener on Thursday, Nov. 5, when the Spirit host Justice. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Surprise, Arizona.
