- Box Score
SAN ANTONIO – The Tarleton Texan men's basketball team completed a regular-season sweep of No. 21 Incarnate Word Wednesday, handing the Cardinals their first home loss of the season with a 67-61 victory in San Antonio.
The Texans trailed by as much as 12 in the first half, but Tarleton battled back and trailed by just two at halftime.
“I thought we settled down a bit and helped them understand what we were doing wrong,” said Tarleton head coach Lonn Reisman. “Once we settled into the game, I thought we did what we needed to made it a ballgame.”
The Texans then fell behind by eight at the first of the second half, but the Texans again battled back and finally took the lead for good with 4:43 remaining in the game.
“We know they are a very good ball game, especially here at their gym,” Reisman said. “This win is big for our program this year, and to get this quality road win is very nice.”
The Texans had three different players in double figures on Wednesday
“We spread the ball out and Devon Hills played his best game in at least a month, and that was big for us tonight,” Reisman said. “After our guys settled down, we did enough to claim this victory.”
Tracy Robinson scored the first bucket of the game before Wale Oguonye tied the game for the Texans. UIW then scored the next five points to take a 7-2 lead with 17:29 on the clock, but Ogunoye had a layup and Corin Henry a free throw to cut the lead to 7-5 with 16:46 remaining in the period. UIW then took an 11-5 lead before Fabian Wilson nailed a three to cut the lead to three with 15:08 on the clock.
After Robinson had his second bucket of the game, Henry tied the game at 13 with a three and a jumper with just under 13 minute remaining in the half. The Cardinals then went on a 12-0 run to take a 25-13 advantage at 9:02. Robinson, Kelcey Solomon and Jordan Roddy had buckets for the home team.
Carrington Tankson got his first bucket of the game for the Texans at 8:45 before Shaun Umeh had a jumper to make it 27-16. Tarleton then scored 14 of the last 18 points of the half, including going on an 8-0 run to make it 29-27 with 2:52 remaining in the period. Scoring in the run was Tankson, Henry and Oguonye. Umeh had the home team's final bucket of the half before Wes Dipprey got a layup to make it 31-29 at the break.
The Cardinals scored the first six points of the second half to take a six-point lead (37-29) before Warren Webb had a putback for the first Texan points of the second period at 17:32. Dippey then had a layup before Webb added a free throw to cut the lead to 34-37 with 16:14. Eric Stewart had a jumper for the home team to end the run and increase the lead to five, 39-34.
Wilson then got a layup at 15:46 before Henry had a free throw and Dipprey a layup before Wilson gave the Texans their first lead at 13:46 with a putback. Tarleton led 41-39. Umeh had a three-point play the hard way at 12:20 to return the lead to UIW, but at 11:53, Devon Hills had his first basket of the night from the right corner to make it 44-42.
Tankson added to the lead with a three from the left corner before Solomon hit one on the opposite end, but Nick Mosley had a free throw for the Texans followed by a three from Hills to push the purple and white lead to six (51-45) at the 8:31-mark. Stewart and Johnson sandwiched buckets for the Cardinals around a free throw by Wilson to cut the lead to 52-49 with 5:35 remaining in the period.
Umeh and Tankson traded threes to make it 55-52 with 4:43 on the clock before Robinson had a free throw. Mosley and Robinson then traded layups before Tankson had a long jumper with his toe on the arc to make it 59-55. Robinson had a free throw at 2:55 to cut the lead to three. Wilson then went to the stripe for the Texans with 1:21 on the clock, and the junior hit both bonus shots to stretch the lead to five.
On the opposite end, Solomon hit a wide-open three from the top of the key nine seconds later before Wilson hit one of his own with 58.6 seconds left. Dipprey then got a defensive rebound and found Henry on the pass. The Texan senior was fouled to stop the clock at 43.8 seconds, and the senior hit both free throws. Dipprey then got a steal on the opposite end, and Henry went to the line with 24.6 seconds left. He hit the first, but missed the second. Stewart was fouled and had two free throws for the Cardinals, but it wasn't enough, and Tarleton took a 67-61 victory.
Tankson had 17 points to lead the Texans followed by Wilson (13) and Henry (12). Wilson led the squad with seven rebounds as Tarleton outrebounded the home team, 34-29.
Tarleton averaged .478 from the floor (22-46), .526 from the three-point arc (10-19) and .565 from the charity stripe (13-23).
The Cardinals were led with Robinson with 17 while Umeh (12), Stewart (12) and Solomon (11) each had double digits. Robinson had a double-double after leading the squad with 11 rebounds.
UIW averaged .463 from the field (25-54), .294 from the arc (5-17) and .429 from the line (6-14).
Tarleton will return to action on Saturday, Feb. 12 at home against Eastern New Mexico at 7 p.m. in Wisdom Gym.
