STEPHENVILLE – EJ Reed and Malcolm Hamilton combined for 47 points as No. 9 Tarleton cruised past NCCAA Arlington Baptist 97-46 on Tuesday night in Wisdom Gym.
 
Reed posted his fourth double-double of the season with a game-high 25 points with 11 rebounds while Hamilton had his second straight double-double with a career-high 22 points, 10 rebounds and six steals.
 
Since being inserted into the starting line up three games ago, Hamilton is averaging 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game.
 
Five players scored in double figures for the Texans, with Xavier Smith recording 14 points and eight rebounds, along with Michael Hardge and Charles Hill each pouring in 11 points. Hill matched Hamilton with six steals, which puts the senior duo in a tie for sixth on the Tarleton single-game records.
 
Tarleton (6-1) built a double-digit lead by the 14 minute mark and went on a 12-0 run to close out the first half. The Texans led 46-19 at the break and shot 45 percent from the field while forcing the Patriots into nine turnovers.
 
In the second half, Tarleton went on a 15-0 run to pad its lead to 71-32 with 11 minutes left in the game. Five minutes later, the Texans went on another 15-0 for a 51-point lead with five minutes remaining.
 
Tarleton forced the Patriots into a season-high 28 turnovers that turned into 37 points for the Texans.
 
Nine players scored for Tarleton as well, with Deshawn Riddick scoring seven, Jacob Morales adding three points and Nosa Ebomwonyi and Chantz Chambers providing two points apiece. Jakob Damstra had five rebounds for the Texans.
 
The Texans finished the game shooting 51 percent from the floor, the second consecutive game to shoot over 50 percent. Tarleton also held Arlington Baptist to 30 percent shooting.
 
Tarleton will take on Our Lady of the Lake on Saturday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.