Box Score MEMPHIS—Arkansas Tech guard Laithe Massey scored nine of his 13 points during a 17-2 run that allowed the visiting Wonder Boys to pull away to a 59-45 win over the No. 14 Christian Brothers University Bucs Thursday night at Canale Arena.

After a defense-oriented first half that saw the Wonder Boys (11-3, 2-0 GSC West) hold a 20-19 lead, the Bucs (13-3, 1-1) scored the first four points of the second half to take a 23-20 lead on a Scott Dennis (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS) basket with 18:04 to play.

Massey sparked the decisive run with a tipin.  Back-to-back fast-break layups from Johnie Davis and Massey followed, then Massey scored back-to-back layups, sinking a free throw for a three-point play after the last one.  Davis finished back-to-back fast-breaks with baskets to cap the run with ATU leading 37-25 with 14:15 remaining.

The Bucs cut the lead back to 37-30 on a Harry Green (Memphis, Tenn./White Station HS) triple, but ATU answered with another 7-0 burst, and the Bucs never came closer than 12 points again.

Dennis paced the Bucs with 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Alex Rogers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills HS) had seven points, six assists, and four steals.  Cory McArthy (St. Louis, Mo./Christian Brothers College HS) scored nine, and Zack Warner (St. Louis, Mo./Clayton HS) added eight.

Davis scored all of his game-high 19 points in the second half.  Massey added five rebounds and three steals to his 13 points.

The Bucs shot 33.3 percent (15-of-45) for the game to the Wonder Boys' 43.9 percent (25-of-57).  ATU held a crushing 42-24 edge on the boards, including a 15-6 lead in offensive rebounds.  The Bucs committed 16 turnovers while forcing 15.

The Bucs travel to Arkadelphia, Ark., for their next two games.  Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m., they face Henderson State, while they visit the other side of Arkansas Highway 7 Thursday night at 8 p.m. to play Ouachita Baptist.  They come home next Saturday to play Harding.