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DALLAS – The Tarleton Texan men's basketball team picked a bad night to shoot their second-worst percentage from the field as the Texans fell at Dallas Baptist, 76-67.
Tarleton shot just 36.1 percent from the floor, including a 22.7 percent from the three-point arc, in the loss as the Texans fell to 12-3 overall. Dallas Baptist, who improved to 8-5, was a regional qualifier last season that returned five starters to their 2009-10 squad.
“I didn't think we were very focused tonight,” said Tarleton head coach Lonn Reisman. “We didn't play with anywhere near the intensity we took to Commerce Saturday. We were flat, we just didn't have the emotion necessary to beat a good team on the road.”
Tarleton hit just two-of-13 threes in the second half, and despite being up by six with 7:45 remaining in the contest, the Patriots outscored the visitors 14-4 in the final 3:48 to take the victory.
“We are going to have to sit down and regroup now,” said head coach Lonn Reisman. “We are going to learn from this game, and get better. We need to learn how to finish.”
The Patriots jumped out of the gate with back-to-back threes to take the earlier lead before Jeremiah Wilson got Tarleton's first points of the contest at 18:13. Braxton Adamson then hit a jumper to give DBU an 8-2 lead before the Texans scored seven of the next nine points. Wilson had a putback before Devon Hills hit a three followed by two free throws to pull the Texans within one, 10-9.
The two teams traded points before Corin Henry tied the game at 16 with 9:41 on the clock with an old-fashioned three-point play. DBU then scored eight straight with two threes and two free throws before Wilson ended the run with two bonus shots of his own. Again, the two teams traded points until the Patriots led 30-20 with 5:10 on the clock.
Darrion Washington then hit a three for Tarleton before Hills got a steal and a layup. Washington then hit a jumper at the top of the key to pull Tarleton within four, 30-26. After a free throw by DBU Effran Bryant hit back-to-back threes to give Tarleton its first lead of the game (32-31) with 2:45 on the clock.
Jordan McGowen had two free throws for the home team before Bryant did the same on the opposite end of the floor. Wale Ogunoye had a turnaround-jumper with 71 seconds left in the first period to put the Texans ahead 36-33, but Heath Wiechman had a layup for DBU followed by a free throw from Adamson that tied the game at the break at 36 all.
McGowen and Ogunoye traded buckets to open the second period before a three by Bryant put Tarleton ahead. The Texans maintained the lead or tie until the 15:36-mark when McGowen had another jumper. Trailing by four (50-46) with 14:31 on the clock, Warren Webb had a jumper before a Corin Henry three gave Tarleton a 51-50 lead at 13:43.
McGowen had a putback to return the lead to the Patriots before Bryant had two free throws to give Tarleton a 53-52 lead with 9:51 remaining in the contest. Donta Smith then hit a jumper on the return trip after a Henry steal. B.J. Dale sank two free throws at 8:32 to cut the lead to one, but Tarleton scored five straight points to go ahead by six. Smith had a three-point play the hard way and Wilson a jumper. Tarleton led 60-54 with 7:40 on the clock.
DBU then scored five straight to cut the lead to one before a free throw by Hills made it 61-59. An Adamson three at 4:35 put DBU ahead by one before Hills was fouled shooting a three. The Texan junior hit the first two, but he missed the third, and DBU's McGowen got a putback to give the home team a 64-63 advantage.
Tarleton missed eight shots in the final four minutes, including six three-point attempts in an effort to reduce the deficit, but the Patriots – who trailed 63-62, scored nine straight points to take a 71-63 lead with 1:23 on the clock. DBU claimed the win hitting seven-of-eight free throws to close the game.
Tarleton was led by Bryant with 15 points, Wilson with 14 and Hills with 12. Wilson's nine rebounds led the squad while Henry was second with eight.
The Texans averaged .361 from the floor (22-61), .227 from the arc (5-22) and .783 from the stripe (18-23). Tarleton was outrebounded 33-32 and outscored 40-31 in the second period.
DBU was led by McGowen with 18, Adamson with 16 and Eddie Gloviak with 14. Gloviak topped all rebounders with 10 boards.
The Patriots averaged .478 from the field (22-46), .353 from the arc (6-17) and .703 from the line (26-37).
Tarleton did force 18 turnovers by DBU, but the Texans recorded 16 themselves.
Tarleton will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 16 at home when it opens Lone Star Conference South Division play against Angelo State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Wisdom Gym.
