CEDAR CITY, Utah — Tarleton State Men's Basketball fell on the wrong end of a 106-105 overtime thriller against Southern Utah on Thursday night at the America First Event Center.

The Texans (11-7 overall, 2-3 WAC) fall to 2-3 in overtime games in the D1 era and 1-1 this season. Southern Utah (5-13, 1-4) picked up its first WAC win of the year and first OT victory of the season. The Purple and White posted their most points in a WAC game with 105.

Dior Johnson notched his second 40-point game of the season ending the night with 40. He made 13-for-22 from the floor including a perfect four-for-four from behind the three-point arc. The junior shot 10-for-12 from the free throw line and added 20 points in each half. He also tallied five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Johnson broke his own Texan record for most points in a WAC game and tied Lue Williams Texan record in WAC games with 13 made field goals.

Camron McDowell notched 24 points, his sixth 20-point game of the season. McDowell has scored 10 or more in nine of his last ten games. He accounted for 18 of his 24 points in the second half and overtime. He shot eight-for-14 from the floor and two-for-three from deep. He made six of his eight free throw attempts including a freebie to tie the game at 92 in regulation. The senior also recorded five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Chris Mpaka also reached double figures with 14 points. He added a team-high six rebounds and a steal. He shot five-for-nine from the floor and made four of his six free throw attempts. Ocypher Owens led the Texans with three steals. 

Head coach Billy Gillispie was not with the team for the second time this season, as he was under the weather. Associate head coach Glynn Cyprien filled in on the bench for Gillispie.

The first half was a large offensive effort for both squads. The two teams combined for 96 total points. Southern Utah fell in love with the three-ball making 10 of their 17 attempts from beyond the arc in the first half. They started the game with a three to take an early 3-0 lead. The Texans quickly responded to take a 4-3 advantage, but then Southern Utah took control for the remainder of the half. The Thunderbirds broke out to a 10-point lead in the first five minutes with an 11-0 run. SUU connected on three consecutive triples as part of their run. Southern Utah maintained the lead throughout the half leading by as many as 14 with the Texans shrinking their deficit to no less than three. In the final four minutes, Johnson ran off seven-straight Texan points in 1:38. 

DJ Dormu ended the half for the Texans with a made layup as the halftime buzzer sounded to bring the Texans into the half trailing, 52-44. Johnson led all scorers in the first half with 20 making eight of his 11 shots. Asa team the Texans shot 52.9 percent from the floor and 62.5 percent from deep. Southern Utah shot slightly better at 57.7 percent from the floor, but just 58.8 percent from beyond the arc.

The Texans trailed the entire second half until the final 24 seconds. With the Texans down by four, 90-86 with 1:33 remaining in the half, Dior Johnson drove the lane then pulled back behind the arc for a pullup triple. He buried it and brought the Texans within one. After SUU missed a layup at the other end, the Texans had the ball back with 47 ticks to go. The Texans called a timeout and then Johnson drove the lane and made the bucket to give the Texans their first lead of the second half, 91-90, But wait, the game was definitely not over just yet.

The Thunderbirds were fouled in the paint and sent to the line with 10 seconds remaining. SUU made both free throws and the Texans trailed by one once again. In a crazy sequence of events, Johnson lost the ball in the paint but then in a flurry of bodies, the ball was deemed a jump ball just as the clock expired. After review, a pair of offsetting technicals were assessed, and it was deemed Tarleton State ball with one second left. McDowell caught the inbound with one second left and was fouled trying to make the game-winning basket. He was sent to the line with the opportunity to make both free throws for a Texan victory. He missed the first but made the second to send the game to overtime.

In the overtime period, Southern Utah got on the board quickly with a made three-pointer in the first seven seconds. Less than a minute into OT, Johnson picked up his fifth foul and was forced to exit the game. Then, it was Cam McDowell's turn to shine. Back-to-back buckets from Isaac tied the game at 96 all with 3:15 remaining in the session. McDowell scored the final nine Texan points. SUU retook the lead, 99-96, but McDowell brought the squad back within one with a pair of made free throws. 

After a Jordan Mizell steal, he found McDowell for the fast break bucket to retake the lead, 100-99 with 2:08 remaining. But SUU answered with a bucket of their own to put the pressure back on the Texans. Once again McDowell was the answer putting the Texans back ahead, 102-101. Countering another SUU basket, McDowell pulled up from behind the arc and let a triple fly that fell through the bottom of the net to put the Texans ahead, 105-103 with 15 seconds left. Southern Utah was sent to the line on the following possession and made one-of-two but was fouled again on the rebound. This time, they made the pair putting the Texans down one with six seconds left. Dormu drove the length of the court and his layup just knocked off the rim to give the Thunderbirds the 106-105 victory.

For just the fourth time in the Division I era, the Texans shot better than 50 percent from the floor and suffered a loss. Tarleton State made 38 of its 74 attempts from the floor, a 51.4 percent rate. The Texans won the turnover battle, 18-16 but fell in the clash on the glass, 40-39. In total there were 55 fouls in the game, with 31 committed by the Purple and White. The Texans tied their season best with a 53.3 percent rate from deep making eight-for-15. 

The Texans scored their most points ever in a WAC game, 105. They also set program WAC records with 38 made field goals and 74 field goal attempts. It marked the first time that a Texan opponent in a WAC game scored over 100 points and the second time in the D1 era. The 106 Thunderbird points is the most against the Texans in the D1 era and in a WAC contest. The Purple and White set a new season-high with 70 bench points, the fourth time this season that they have eclipsed the 60-point mark.

Tarleton State will continue their road trip in the state of Utah on Saturday evening against Utah Tech. The Texans will play their first and only game in St. George this season with tip off slated for 8 p.m. CT.