CEDAR CITY, Utah – Tarleton State Men's Basketball became the first program to win on the road in the WAC this season holding onto a 74-66 victory at Southern Utah on Thursday night in the America First Event Center.
Texans (7-10 overall, 2-0 WAC) became one of two WAC schools to win their first two conference games. The Purple and White are the first WAC school to win on the road in league play this season, handing the Thunderbirds (8-8, 0-2) the first home loss. Tarleton only played seven players with the five starters all playing over 30 minutes each.
Keitenn Bristow set a new career high with a game-best 24 points. The freshman shot nine-for-14 from the floor and four-for-five from three-point range. The Holliday, Texas, native tied his career best with seven rebounds.
Chris Mpaka was a key piece to the Texans' success on both sides of the ball. Mpaka notched 18 points, his fourth time with 15 or more this season. On the defensive end, he junior tallied a team-best three blocks including a pair of emphatic denials. He also added two steals and grabbed a Texan-high eight boards.
Bubu Benjamin tallied a team-best four assists.
Jordan Mizell tied for the team-lead with eight rebounds.
The Texans started off the game hot with a 6-0 run. Mpaka, Bristow and Mizell combined for the first three buckets. After SUU responded to cut their deficit to three, the Texans blasted off with an 8-0 run to take their largest lead of the first half, 16-5. Bristow gave the Texans the 11-point advantage off his first of three triples in the first 20 minutes.
With the Texans in the lead, 18-11, Bristow scored the next seven straight Purple and White points to keep a 25-15 lead. The Thunderbirds cut their deficit to the shortest of the half, 29-24, but the Texans rattled five consecutive points to maintain control. Bristow knocked down his third triple and Mpaka drained a pair of free throws. During the run, Mpaka thwarted a Thunderbird attack with a thunderous block with 3:54 to go in the first half.
Tarleton closed the half with a 5-2 run. In the final seconds, a Thunderbird was called for a flop resulting in technical foul free throw for
Dantwan Grimes. Grimes sunk his lone shot before the break, handing the Texans a 41-31 lead. Bristow notched a game-high 17 points. Tarleton shot 16-for-29 from the floor, a 55.2 percent rate. All three of the Texans made triples came off the hands of Bristow who was a perfect three-for-three.
Bristow started off the second half right where he left off with his fourth made triple of the contest. The Thunderbirds were reenergized after the break shooting off a 6-0 run to bring it within seven, 44-37. Mizell made a pair of freebies to increase the Texan advantage back to nine.
The Thunderbirds fought back narrowing the contest to 49-45. The Texans made back-to-back buckets by Bristow and Benjamin to increase their lead to 53-45 with 12 minutes remaining. But, Southern Utah erupted on a 7-0 run to cut their deficit to one, 53-52 with 9:40 to go.
Southern Utah tied the game at 56 for the first time in the game. A bucket by Benjamin and a Miles made free throw gave Tarleton a 59-56 lead. But, SUU nailed back-to-back buckets with a stop to take their first lead of the contest, 60-59 with 5:50 left.
Tarleton quickly regained the lead with a tough bucket in the paint just 20 ticks later. SUU's Dominque Ford gave the T-birds the advantage once again with a layup to put the home team up, 62-61 at the 4:16 mark. Miles gave the Texans the lead back for good with a contested layup in the paint. After a pair of back-to-back stops, Mpaka was sent to the line with 1:46 to go with the Texans up one. He made one of two to put Tarleton up two. On the next two Thunderbird possessions, Miles and Grimes swiped the ball to keep the Texans with the advantage with under a minute remaining.
Grimes made a layup to put the Texans up four with 38 ticks left. SUU's Felder brought the home crew within a pair, 66-64. On the next possession, Grimes went coast to coast and then things got interesting. The junior was credited the bucket and picked up the foul. However, he was given a technical foul for his celebration after the basket. The Thunderbirds made the pair of free throws to bring the SUU deficit to just two again. But, Grimes made his free throw and put the Texans up 69-66.
After a pair of missed Thunderbird shots, the Texans closed out the 74-66 victory. Tarleton picked up their second WAC win, the first on a road in the first seven conference matchups. The Purple and White earned their fourth-straight victory, with this win coming on student manager Eli Ward's birthday.
The Texans shot 26-for-55, 47.5 percent from the floor. Tarleton outrebounded Southern Utah, 34-30 and won the turnover battle, 16-15. The Purple and White totaled 12 steals and five blocks.
Tarleton State will close the weekend against Utah Tech on Saturday night at 8 p.m. CT at Burns Arena. Utah Tech will host UT Arlington in its first WAC game of the season on Thursday night.
