ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Henderson State got 18 points from Malik Riddle and withheld a late surge from Pittsburg State to defeat the Gorillas 59-57 on Wednesday afternoon at the Duke Wells Center.

Riddle was the high-point man for the Reddies (3-2) and shot 6-of-9 from the floor while also grabbing a team-best six rebounds. Quawn Marshall added nine points and both Alvin Miles and Andre Washington had eight.

It was a tough first half shooting-wise for both sides in the pre-Thanksgiving non-conference game. The two teams combined for 19 made baskets and 18 turnovers in a low-scoring affair that the Gorillas led 24-23 after 20 minutes of play. Henderson hit just one of its last 11 shots from the floor to end the opening period.

The start of the second half followed a similar script as the first, but with Pitt State up 28-25, the Reddies finally put together a run. With shots not falling, HSU went to the basket and began to cash in at the line, as Riddle, Marshall and Ryan Boyce each converted on two in a span of two minutes. 

Henderson's defense also ratcheted up its intensity and forced two turnovers and two offensive fouls to help power an 8-0 spurt. The run, which was highlighted by a thunderous dunk from Riddle, gave the Reddies a 33-28 lead at the 14:20 mark.

Pitt State continued to battle in what became a physical game and eventually recaptured the lead, 40-39, on a 3-pointer with 9:39 to go. The Gorillas' lead was short-lived, however, as Marshall hit on a deep 3-pointer late in the shot clock on HSU's next possession, and then connected with Riddle on an alley-oop, to give Henderson a 44-40 lead.

A 3-pointer by Riddle moments later pushed the Reddies' lead out to 50-43 — their largest of the game — with 5:28 remaining. The Gorillas once again answered with a run of their own and used a 7-2 stretch over the next minute-and-a-half to trim their deficit down to 52-50 at the 4:02 mark.

The game turned the Reddies' way over the next several possessions. A huge 3-pointer from Miles pushed the advantage back out to 55-50 for Henderson with 3:42 to go, and after a miss by PSU, the Gorillas' leading scorer, Iziah James, fouled out when he caught Riddle on the arm at the basket. Riddle's two free throws pushed the lead back out to 57-50 and were the last points HSU scored for nearly three minutes.

Down to its last gasp, Pitt State tried to get back into the game in the final minute with a layup and a clutch 3-pointer which trimmed the lead down to 57-55 with 55 seconds remaining. The Gorillas had a chance to tie the game twice in the final seconds, but a blocked shot by Yuri Swinford, two big free throws from Marshall, and a back-breaking Pitt turnover with five seconds remaining helped the Reddies hold on and win it, 59-57.

Henderson shot just 35% from the field in the victory but won the rebounding battle 35-33 and saw its bench out-score the Gorillas 35-12. HSU finished 17-of-21 at the line and had 12 steals to just four for Pitt State.

The Reddies return to action on Thursday, Dec. 2 when they begin GAC play at home against reigning conference champion UAM at 7:30 p.m.