STEPHENVILLE – No. 16 Tarleton erased a 9-point deficit in the second half to defeat rival Midwestern State, 64-56, in the Lone Star Conference opener on Thursday in Wisdom Gym.
 
Led by the defensive performances of Romond Jenkins (13 rebounds) and Josh Hawley (9 rebounds) and the sharp second-half shooting from Ridell Camidge (15 points) and Denzel Smith (14 points), the Texans were able to outscore the Mustangs 37-26 in the second half while shooting 46 percent from the floor and holding MSU to an astounding 25 percent.
 
Tarleton and Midwestern games are always back-and-forth nail-biters, and this one was no different. In fact, the last nine games between the two rivals have been decided by six points or less – until tonight.
 
The Texans got off to a hot start with a 17-7 advantage in the first ten minutes of play when Camidge drilled one of his four 3-pointers. Midwestern State went on a 13-3 run to tie the game at 20 before the Texans responded with a 5-0 stretch on a tip-in from Nosa Ebomwonyi and a 3-ball from Deshawn Riddick. Tarleton managed only a pair of free throws from Curtiss Anderson in the final four minutes of the half while Midwestern went on a 8-2 push to lead 30-27 at the break.
 
Neither team was overly efficient offensively in the first half, with Tarleton shooting 33 percent and was 3-13 on 3-pointers while Midwestern shot 29 percent in the half and 2-10 from behind the arc.
 
Adjustment were made by Tarleton in the second half, but it didn't' come until after the first media timeout when Midwestern took control with a 38-29 lead. The Texans chipped away one possession at a time and worked it to a five-point game on Smith's 3-pointer at the top of the key with 12:57 remaining. Smith scored six straight points on his own en route to a career-high 14 points and a pair of blocks.
 
The hot shooting was passed off to Camidge, who went on a 7-0 run of his own with a pair of 3-pointers – including a 4-point play – that gave Tarleton the lead for good at 48-47 with 9:29 remaining.
 
Romond Jenkins, who finished with his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 13 rebounds, scored eight of his 12 points in a 3:30 span in the second half and it allowed Tarleton to build a 58-52 lead. Jenkins also grabbed seven of his 13 rebounds in the final seven minutes of the game. Jenkins' biggest contribution, however, might've what he was able to limit Midwestern to offensively. The Mustangs shot a season-worst 27 percent and also held Igor Ibaka, the reigning LSC Defensive Player of the Week who came in averaging 11.7 points and 7.4 rebounds, to zero points and six rebounds as he battled foul trouble against Jenkins all game.
 
Midwestern State got to within 61-56, but Camidge delivered the dagger with another 3-pointer for the game's final points.
 
Chantz Chambers scored eight points for Tarleton and had a game-high three steals. Deshawn Riddick set a season-high with five assists, his fourth career game of at least five assists, and scored seven points. Nosa Ebomwonyi played a season-high 14 minutes and set season highs in points (4), rebounds (3) and assists (2) off the bench. Josh Hawley, who made his first career start for an injured Anthony Davis, pulled down a career-best nine rebounds while blocking a pair of shots.
 
Tarleton will take on Cameron this Saturday at 4 p.m. in Wisdom Gym.