DURANT, Okla. – The Tarleton Texans will return to Oklahoma on Monday, Dec. 14 for an 8 p.m. tip-off at Southeastern Oklahoma in Durant, Okla. looking to return to the win column.
The Texans are coming off a 104-88 loss at East Central on Saturday that saw the Tigers hit 16-of-26 three-point field goals in the contest. Tarleton led by four with just over three minutes left in the first half when the Tigers scored the next 12 points to take the lead – which they never relinquished.
Tarleton outscored the Tigers 62-30 in the paint and 38-12 off the bench, but the barrage of three pointers downed the Texans in the contest. Donta Smith led all scorers with 26 points.
Tarleton is 5-2 on the season, including a win over Southeastern Oklahoma in the Texan Tip-Off Classic on Nov. 21, 54-43. Tarleton was led in the contest by Jeremiah Wilson with 16 points while Effran Bryant was second with 12. Smith led the team with eight rebounds while Corin Henry was second with seven.
The Texans averaged .367 from the floor in the win over the Savage Storm while SOSU connected on 34.9 percent of their shots. The visitors were led by Mychal Horn with 19 points and Williams Slones with 12 rebounds.
Tarleton outrebounded SOSU 37-29 and the Texans never trailed in the contest.
This season, Tarleton is led by Henry with 12.9 points per game, 34 assists and 13 steals. Also averaging in double digits is Wilson (11.7), Smith (10.1) and Devon Hills (10.0). Wilson leads the squad with 8.1 rebounds per game while Smith is second with 7.0 boards per contest.
The Texans are averaging .465 from the floor, .415 from the arc and .606 from the charity stripe while opponents are shooting .394 from the field, .390 from the arc and .659 from the line. Tarleton is outrebounding opponents 37.6 to 33.9 and outscoring them 73.4 to 62.6.
SOSU is 3-5 this season and are coming off back-to-back losses at West Texas A&M and at home to Midwestern State. The Mustangs downed the Savage Storm 72-42 in Durant on Saturday.
Horn leads the squad with 13.5 points per outing while Darrell Hicks is second with 13.3 points per game. Slones is third in scoring with 10.0 points per contest, and he leads the squad with 7.8 rebounds per game. Chibuzo Elonu is second with 7.0 boards per outing.
SOSU is averaging .398 from the field, .247 from the arc and .667 from the line while opponents are shooting .406 from the floor, .339 from the arc and .697 from the stripe. The Savage Storm is being outscored 63.9 to 58.4 while outrebounding opponents 36.4 to 34.9.
This will be the Texans' first trip to the new Bloomer Sullivan Arena that was finished just before last year's basketball season. The new arena seats 3,000.
Tarleton is 15-5 overall against SOSU, including a 7-3 mark in Durant. Tarleton has won the last 11 contests dating back to the 2001-02 season when SOSU won 67-53 in Durant on Nov. 29, 2001.
The game will be broadcast on KSTV 93.1 FM.
