FLASH STAFF REPORT
TheFlashToday.com
(January 7, 2017) — What a difference two days on the road can make.
Tarleton State looked every bit like national title contenders on Thursday, but couldn’t overcome turnovers, foul trouble and a hot shooting Texas A&M-Kingsville club on Saturday.
The Javelinas (8-5, 1-4) used a prolonged 31-6 run to take control in the first half, leading by as many as 18 before holding off every Tarleton (13-2, 5-1) come back attempt in a 76-71 upset of the No. 9 Texans at the Steinke Center.
The loss snaps a 10-game win streak by Tarleton and a stretch of six straight wins by the Texans over A&M-Kingsville. Tarleton had won 14 of the previous 15 in the series.
Tarleton cut the big deficit all the way to seven but could get no closer. Duan Wright buried a 3-pointer to stretch the Javelina advantage to 10 before a dunk on a put-back by Robert Stevenson made it 74-62 with 1:45 left.
It was a sudden turnaround for a Tarleton team that shot 55 percent from the floor Thursday but just 32 percent Saturday, when the Texans had 10 turnovers by halftime and had to finish without Chantz Chambers and Ridell Camidge, who both fouled out late. Romond Jenkins missed a long stretch of the second half after his fourth foul and scored just four points two days after netting 20 points in the second half of a 92-60 thrashing of Angelo State in San Angelo.
Tarleton couldn’t get back within seven again until an Anthony Davis 3-pointer with 28 seconds remaining. The Texans got a quick takeaway afterwards, but a 3-pointer by Riddick missed the mark and time began running thin.
Nosa Ebomwonyi got a takeaway, was fouled and hit two free throws to cut it to 76-71 with six seconds left. A&M-Kingsgville threw it away again, but Riddick missed from 3 with five seconds left and the Javs grabbed the rebound and ran out the clock on the shocking upset.
Camidge led all scorers with 23 points, but was whistled for three offensive player control fouls attacking the basket, which led to him fouling out with a minute left. Riddick scored 14 on the strength of an 8-8 performance from the foul stripe. Davis added nine while Chambers and Josh Hawley both finished with eight.
Wright was 3-3 from the arc and 6-7 from the foul line on his way to 19 points for the Javs. Marcus Frazier scored 11 and Justin Jones added 10.
A&M-Kingsville was 11-23 – 48 percent – from the arc, where Tarleton was just 7-25 – 28 percent.
Tarleton is back home Tuesday to take on Texas A&M-Commerce, which visits Angelo State later Saturday afternoon with the opportunity to tie the Texans for first place in the LSC standings. Tipoff Tuesday at Wisdom Gym is about 7:30 p.m. following a 5:30 p.m. women’s contest.
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