- Box Score
PORTALES, N.M. – The Tarleton Texan men's basketball team moved into a first-place tie in the Lone Star Conference South Division Wednesday with a 73-48 victory at Eastern New Mexico.
The Texans, who improved to 18-5 on the season and 5-2 in the LSC South Division, moved into the tie with No. 6 Midwestern State who lost at West Texas A&M on Wednesday (68-58).
“This race if far from over for anyone,” Reisman said. “I knew it was going to be tough for Midwestern State. I am really proud of our kids for winning three tough road games in the South. We almost got our fourth on Saturday night at Midwestern. I definitely did not want to come in here and lose to make it three in a row, and we wanted to get this win to get us going again. People don't realize how big this win was.”
Despite going to the charity stripe just two times on Wednesday, Tarleton claimed the win shooting over 50 percent from the floor in the contest. The closest ENMU would get in the second half was 18 points, and the Texans played consistently to finish the game.
“We have been in this gym and seen some big runs by the Greyhounds in this gym in the past,” Reisman said. “We had good quality minutes from a lot of our players, and we had great play from our bench. This is the best game Corin has played in a month, and I am glad because we have been ready for him to break out. You can really see Warren coming back on for us in the last few games, and I'm really glad he is doing well. We played well tonight, and I am happy to get this win on the road in the South Division.”
Wale Ogunoye got the game going with a shot in the paint for the Texans to give the visitors the early lead before Effran Bryant got a three from the corner. With 2:20 gone in the game, Corin Henry got a fastbreak layup off the glass to give Tarleton a 7-0 lead. Victor Reid then hit a three on the opposite end to cut the Texan lead to four before Ogunoye had a basket from the left block to put the score at 9-3. Jimmie Marshall connected on a layup at 15:55 to cut the lead to four.
Donta Smith then got a tip-in for the purple and white prior to an Equs Darby bucket on the opposite end. Bryant then hit a three from the left side to put Tarleton ahead 14-7 with 12:51 on the clock. Oguonye then had a putback before Henry hit a three from the top of the key to push the lead to 19-7 with just over 10 minutes left.
After a Hills three, Tyler Jefferson and Devon Hills traded buckets before a steal by Smith led to a fastbreak dunk for the Texan junior to make it 24-9. Reid then got a jumper for the Greyhounds at 7:23 to cut the lead to 13 before a three by Jordan Romero made it 24-14 with 6:47 on the clock. Smith then had a layup and a putback for the visitors to return the lead to 14. However, Jefferson got an easy layup on the other end.
With 2:13 remaining in the first half, Hills got a bucket for Tarleton before hitting a three on the return trip down the floor to put the Texans ahead by 17, 33-16. With 56 ticks left in the period, Smith got a bucket in the paint as the Texans took a 35-16 lead into halftime after Oguonye blocked a shot on the opposite end at the buzzer.
Jeremiah Wilson got the second half started with a tip-in at 18:55 before Darby had a three for the home team. Ogunoye had a layup before a Jefferson free throw. Ogunoye added onther bucket before Henry hit a three to push the score to 44-21 Tarleton. Nelson had two baskets on each side of another Henry three to make it 47-25 with 15:48 remaining in the half.
Wilson and Reggie Nelson traded buckets before nelson and Darby each had buckets for the Greyhounds to cut the lead to 20, 49-29. Warren Webb got a bucket at 13:28 before Nelson had a free throw for the home team. Hills then hit a three from the corner for the Texans at 12:15 to make it 54-31 before Webb had a putback to push the lead to 25. ENMU scored four straight points before a Smith jumper in the paint made it 58-35.
Nelson, who scored all of his points in the second half, scored four points to cut the lead to 21 before Hills had a jumper in the paint. Nelson hit a three prior to an Oguonye bucket. Smith then hit the backend of a two-shot foul at 6:24 before he got a tip-in on the return trip down the floor to put the Texans up 65-42. The teams traded buckets before Webb had a layup to push the lead to 25 for the third time of the game, this one at 69-44 with 3:45 on the clock.
Michael Brown had a scoop shot with just over three minutes remaining before he hit a jumper in the paint with just under two minutes left in the contest. All of Brown's points came in the second half as well. Washington hit a scoop shot on the other end of the floor to make it 71-48 with 1:33 left in the game. Chris Harrell added to the lead with 36 ticks left to give the game its final total with the Texans winning, 73-48.
Smith and Hills each had 15 points to lead the Texans while Oguonye (12) and Henry (11) each had double figures. Hills led the squad with eight rebounds while Wilson was second with six.
Tarleton averaged .552 from the floor (32-58), .500 from the three-point arc (8-16) and .500 from the charity stripe (1-2). The Texans outrebounded the opponent 33-20.
Nelson led the Greyhounds with 17 points as the only player in double figures. He also led the team with five rebounds.
ENMU averaged .413 from the field (19-46), .267 from the arc (4-15) and .500 from the line (6-12).
Tarleton outscored ENMU 42-22 in the paint and 25-11 off the bench.
The Texans, who are ranked No. 6 in the latest South Central Region poll, will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 13 at home against West Texas A&M. Tip-off in Wisdom Gym is set for 7 p.m., and joining the Texans and TexAnns for the doubleheader will be the Dallas Mavericks ManiACCs, and it is Santo Night, Camp Night, Foster's Home Night and SPARD Night.
