Box Score WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Tarleton State's Damion Clemons scored a career-high 16 points and Chuck Guy added a game-high 20 points as the No. 6 Texans overcame a 12-point first half deficit to down the Midwestern State Mustangs on the road, 83-81, Wednesday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum in Wichita Falls.
 
The win extended Tarleotn's best start in program history to 14-0 and it helped get the Texan basketball program back to a .500 team, improving its overall record to 724-724 all-time since becoming a senior college back in 1961. When head coach Lonn Reisman took over the program 26 years ago, the Texans were just 180-498 overall.
 
The Texans moved to 3-0 in Lone Star Conference play as well and claim sole possession of first place, while the Mustangs fell to 11-5 overall and 3-1 in league play. Tarleton has now won three straight over the Mustangs dating back to last season.
 
The Mustangs would lead by as many as 12 points with 8:03 left to play in the first half, but Tarleton would storm back and head into the halftime break down just three points, 42-39.
 
With the Mustangs up 28-16, Tarleton poured in four consecutive free throws to cut the lead to just eight points and Guy then closed out a 23-14 run with a three-pointer at the 1:20 mark to tie the game 39-39.
 
MSU came right back with a three-pointer at the other end from Xavier Blackburn, but neither team would score a basket over the final 59 seconds and the Mustangs would take the three-point lead into the intermission.
 
Both Tarleton and MSU were similar in shooting percentages at the break, with the Mustangs shooting 48.4 percent from the floor and Tarleton converting 44.4 percent from the floor. The Mustangs were an even 40.0 percent from beyond the arc, while the Texans shot 41.7 percent from downtown. Tarleton was 71.4 percent from the charity stripe and MSU went into the break shooting 72.7 percent.
 
Tashawn Mabry and Clemons led the Texans at the break with 10 points each and MSU's Eddie D'Haiti led all players with 11 points.
 
Both teams traded a pair of baskets to open the second half until Davene Carter was found all alone in the paint for an easy dunk that tied the game at 46-46. MSU's Monzaigo Williams came back though and scored the Mustangs' next eight points that gave MSU a 54-48 lead with 12:32 left to play.
 
The Texans countered with a 7-0 run and Emmanuel Andrews nailed a deep two-pointer at the 11:50 mark to give the visiting team its first lead of the contest at 55-54. Later, despite three consecutive three-pointers from the Mustangs, Tarleton would take its largest lead of the game on a three-pointer from Guy that put the Texans up 67-63 with 7:44 to play.
 
Following a tip-in from Guy that made it a 71-66 game, MSU came right back with four straight free throws to pull within a point of the Texans, down 71-70. Guy would then make it a three-point game again with 4:21 to play after sinking two free throws that made it a 73-70 contest.
 
The Mustangs would tie the game on an old-fashioned three-point play from Xavier Blackburn, but Andrews came right back with a traditional three-pointer to make it a 76-73 game. MSU later made it a one-point game on a tip in from Derrell Gibbs, but Guy countered with a three-pointer that put the Texans up 81-77 with 2:36 to play.
 
Following a turnover on MSU's next possession, Clemons added to his career-night with a lay-up to push Tarleton's lead to 83-77 and forcing the Mustangs to call a timeout with 1:47 left to play in the game.
 
The Texans would commit three consecutive fouls at the other end, but MSU would go just 1-for-4 at free throw line and the Texans would take control of the ball up 83-78 with less than a minute to play. Tarleton came up empty on the possession and the Mustangs took advantage and hit a trey with 41.5 seconds left to make it an 83-81 game.
 
The Texans again were unable to add to its lead, giving the ball back to MSU and the Mustangs would then take a time out with 20.0 seconds left to play.
 
MSU would inbound the ball looking to take the final shot of regulation, but Williams fell to the ground with his dribble, which knocked the ball loose. MSU's Plummer picked up the loose ball and threw up desperation shot, but it was off the mark giving the Texans the two-point win on the road.
 
The Texans shot 55.2 percent in the second half and limited MSU to just 35.3 percent shooting. MSU did manage to shoot 63.6 percent from the three-point line in the second half, but Tarleton would counter shooting 55.9 percent from downtown themselves.
 
The major difference in the game, according to coach Reisman, was Tarleton's bench outscoring the Mustangs 52-23 on the night.
 
"We have a very deep team," said Reisman. "We have the ability to bring in players and stay competitive all game."
 
The Texans will return to Wisdom Gym this Saturday and continue LSC play as they host the Cameron Aggies. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Stephenville.