By Phil Byrd, Staff Writer
At a time of transfer mayhem, when many teams struggle to keep up with the new pace of college basketball, Tiger’s Head Coach Dennis Nutt stands out. Leading a team with eight students who have transferred in the last three years, many coaches would struggle to find consistency. Nutt, however, has led his team to a 14-6 record overall and a 9-5 record in conference. Much of the success this year can be attributed to junior Forward Hobert Grayson, a transfer from Holmes Community College.
“He’s a handful,” said Nutt. “He’s such a force in getting rebounds, and he does a lot of good things for us.”
Grayson is currently the second-leading scorer in the Great American Conference (GAC), averaging 23.7 points per game and leading the GAC in rebounds at 11.4 per game. Named to a watchlist of some of division two’s best players, Ouachita may have one of its players bring home some hardware if his season continues on its upward trajectory.
Grayson is not the only force for the Tigers, however.
“It’s a team game,” said Nutt. “Every night someone else has to step up and contribute.”
Graduate student Shaun Williams has been a star for the Tigers as well. Averaging 19.3 points per game, the transfer from CSU Bakersfield and Kansas State is joining Grayson to form one of the most electric duos in the conference.
Rounding out the main scorers on this team is returning senior Reggie Martin. Having a career year for the Tigers, the native of Vivian, Louisiana, is having his best collegiate season at the right time.
The Tigers certainly don’t disappoint as a team either, leading the GAC in total scoring, field goal percentage, and three point percentage. The Tigers currently sit at third in the GAC, and will look to prepare for the GAC Tournament March 6 in Fort Smith.