BETHANY – After entering Thursday night with a two-game losing streak for the first time since the 2016-17 season, Southern Nazarene was not about to make things worse for themselves. And boy did they respond in a big way inside the Sawyer Center as they thumped Arkansas Tech 79-47.
 
The Crimson Storm (10-5, 4-3 GAC) never trailed on Thursday night as their 32-point win was the largest this season and the biggest margin of victory since February of 2019. SNU's defense made it tough on the Wonder Boys (9-5, 4-3 GAC) all night long as they shot just 31 percent from the floor and just 25 percent from three-point range.
 
The Storm found their offensive rhythm on their home floor as they shot 52 percent from the field and buried nine triples in the contest as well. SNU dominated the glass, pulling in 43 rebounds compared to 29 for ATU. Both teams committed 11 turnovers as the Storm scored 28 points in the paint.
 
The sensational duo of Jhonathan Dunn and Micah Speight steered the Southern Nazarene ship once again, as the pair were the only two Storm scorers to finish in double-figures. Dunn poured in a game-high 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting including going 3-for-7 from downtown. He also added seven rebounds as well.
 
After a tough weekend in Arkadelphia last week, Speight's offense came alive in Sawyer as he scored seven of SNU's first nine points en route to finishing with 25 in the contest. He was by far the most efficient on the floor as he went 8-for-13 from the field, 4-of-7 from behind the arc, and didn't have a turnover as he piled on four assists and two steals.
 
Karlyn Kenner added seven points, three rebounds and three assists while Morris Wilson II chipped in with six points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Ashton Charles contributed six points, four rebounds, and three assists as well.
 
Southern Nazarene wasted no time at all in making their presence felt as they leaped out to a 19-8 lead just seven minutes into the game. The Storm shot 63 percent from the field in the opening half as they ballooned their lead 25-9 midway through. That lead reached 42-16 before head coach Adam Bohac and company cruised to a 44-21 lead heading into the halftime break.
 
The second half was really no different as the Crimson Storm turned up their defense once again, holding the Wonder Boys to 8-of-25 shooting from the field. The lead reached 30 with 7:10 remaining at 68-38 and from there it was all she wrote. SNU was able to empty the bench as Quenton Coleman and Karsten Berg each got on the board with buckets and the Storm snapped their two-game skid.
 
Southern Nazarene will be back in action inside the Sawyer Center on Saturday afternoon as they battle Harding. Tipoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in that contest.