STEPHENVILLE – The Tarleton Texans led by 18 points with just over six minutes left in the game, but the Cameron Aggies hit five threes in the final five minutes to close the lead to double digits. However, Tarleton held on for a 59-52 victory.
The Texans improved to 8-2 with the win as they held the visitors to just .274 from the floor and a .226 average from the three-point arc.
“We have a chance to win a lot of ballgames if we can hold opponents to such a low shooting percentage,” said Tarleton head coach Lonn Reisman. “I thought our intensity dropped there in the last few minutes, and we have to learn to keep our intensity until the end of the contest.”
The Texans' Corin Henry and CU's Jacquez Williams traded threes to open the first period before a jumper by Wale Ogunoye put Tarleton ahead by two. A three by Henry pushed the lead to five before Donovan Jones cut the lead to three with a layup. A dunk by Donta Smith gave the Texans a 10-5 lead with 12:34 on the clock.
The Aggies fought back to tie the game at 10 with 10:07 remaining in the first half before Ogunoye hit a free throw, but Jamaar Burke gave the visitors a one-point lead at 8:11 (12-11). Jeremiah Wilson then gave the Texans the lead with a putback at 7:06 before an old-fashioned three-point play by Smith put the Texans up by four (16-12) at 5:56.
Again, the two teams traded scores until Milton Garner cut the lead to two with two free throws with 47 ticks left. Wilson then hit a jumper on the other end of the floor and was fouled. The Texan senior hit the bonus shot to give Tarleton a 25-20 lead at the break.
Henry stretched the lead to seven with the first basket of the second half at 18:44 before he added two free throws more than a minute later to make it 29-20. Kallan Glasgow and Oguonye traded layups before a free throw by the Texan junior closed a three-point play the hard way. The three points put the Texans up by double digits for the first time in the game – a 32-22 advantage with 17:05 on the clock.
Tarleton took a 12-point lead with 15:11 on the clock when Wilson had two bonus shots for the purple and white before a free throw by Smith made it 37-24 at 13:35. The teams traded free throws before a jumper in the paint by Henry put the Texans up 41-26.
A bucket by Jeremy Gilbert from the right corner with 7:35 on the clock put the Texans' lead to 15 (45-30). The lead stayed in double figures, including an 18-point lead with 6:02 remaining when Smith hit two free throws. The Aggies then hit five threes in the final five minutes to cut into the lead.
Gilbert was fouled with 49.9 seconds left to stop the clock as the Aggies trailed 56-44, and the senior hit both before Williams hit a three for the visitors. Henry was fouled with 41.16 seconds left, and he missed both. The Aggie went to the line and hit both to cut the lead to nine, 58-49.
The Texans got back-to-back turnovers, but they themselves turned the ball over and Greg Morgan hit a three to make it 58-52.
Tarleton was led by Henry with 17 points while Wilson had a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, leading all rebounders.
The Texans averaged .302 from the floor (16-53), .188 from the arc (3-16) and .774 from the charity stripe (24-31).
CU was led by Eiland with 20 points and Williams with 11. Jamaar Burke had 11 rebounds to lead the visitors who averaged .274 from the field (17-62), .226 from the arc (7-31) and .611 from the line (11-18).
The Texans outrebounded the opponent 48-43 and outscored them in the paint 22-16.
Tarleton will return to action at home on Monday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Dallas Christian after Christmas. It will be Take A Kid to the Game where all children 14 and under will get in free with a paid adult.
