NASSAU, Bahamas – Tarleton State Men's Basketball was unable to stop Indiana State on Sunday night in the finale of the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship at the Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center falling, 87-71.
The Texans (2-7) end their three-game trip in the Bahamas, 1-2, along with three of the other participants. The Sycamores (5-4) is one of three programs to finish the weekend, 2-1.
For the second-straight game
Ronnie Harrison Jr. led the Texans in scoring posting 22. He shot 50 percent from the field making seven of his 14. The sophomore added six boards while shooting eight-of-nine from the charity stripe.
The Texans had a pair with 20 points as
Bubu Benjamin notched his third 20-point effort of the season. The sophomore shot eight-for-16 from the floor and two-for-four from deep.
Izzy Miles was the third Texan to score in double digits recording 12. Miles also tied for the team-lead with six boards. For the second-consecutive night,
Joseph Martinez led the team in assists, dishing out three against the Sycamores.
Harrison Jr. started right where he left off. He accounted for the first five points of the game including opening the night with a full court steal and fast break hammer dunk. The Texans kept the pressure early when Miles drained a triple to give Tarleton a 10-7 advantage.
With five lead changes and five ties the first six minutes, the game was a true back-and-forth affair. Benjamin traded triples with the Sycamores to put the Purple and White ahead, 16-15 with 13:48 remaining. Then it was all in favor of the Sycamores.
Indiana State used a 10-0 run over the course of four minutes to distance themselves with the Texans. Trailing 33-19, Tarleton cut the deficit to single digits thanks to a pair of made free throws from Harrison Jr. and a three-point play from Benjamin. In the final five minutes of the half, Indiana State outscored Tarleton 16-3, to take a 53-31 advantage into the break.
The Texans stayed even with the Sycamores in the second half but were unable to overcome the 25-point deficit. After a 4-0 Texan run fueled by Benjamin and Miles, Indiana State used a 5-0 run to take its biggest lead of the night, 27, 66-39. Benjamin responded with a 5-0 run of his own to cut the game back to 22 with 12:30 left.
Both teams swapped baskets in the final 11 minutes, but the Purple and White were unable to crack the deficit below 16. Just a little too little too late, the Texans closed the final three minutes of the game on a 10-2 run. In the second half Tarleton State outscored Indiana State, 40-34, but it was not enough, ultimately falling, 87-71.
Tarleton shot 24-for-54 from the floor, a 44 percent clip. Indiana State made 34-for-56, an outstanding 61 percent rate. The Texans shot 20-of-24 from the free throw line opposed to Indiana State shooting six-for-six from the line.
Tarleton State won't have much time off, as the Texans return to Stephenville for a Tuesday night tilt against Dallas Christian. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. in Wisdom Gym. Early-arriving fans will receive a free Tarleton snow globe.
