Texan extend win streak over MSU Texas with 70-65 win

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WICHITA FALLS – Tarleton won its sixth straight game by defeating rival MSU Texas 70-65 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on Saturday.

The Texans improve to 12-2 overall and 3-1 in the Lone Star Conference. It’s also the sixth straight win over the Mustangs, which is the longest streak by either team in the storied rivalry.

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As the series always goes, it’s going to be a back-and-forth matchup and this next chapter was no different. Tarleton threw the first punch after trailing 16-15 through the first 12 minutes of play. The Texans used a 15-2 run towards the end of the first half to take a double-digit lead, 30-18. Randall Broddie, who had a team-high 16 points, started the run with five straight points.

Sophomore forward Clashon Gaffney came off the bench to score eight straight points of his own – doubling his season average coming into the game. Gaffney finished with 10 points – all in the first half – and added six rebounds.

The Texans led 32-20 in the first half while shooting 48 percent from the floor and holding MSU Texas to 26 percent, including 0-9 on 3-pointers.

Josh Hawley’s alley-oop dunk from Corinthian Ramsey gave the Texans their biggest lead of the game at 15 points with 16:48 remaining and it appeared the Texans would coast to a victory. While MSU Texas couldn’t make an outside shot in the first half, they couldn’t miss in second. The Mustangs drilled nine 3-point shots in the second half that created a 19-2 run and gave them a 52-48 lead with 6:43 left.

Sam Marshall and Jesse Hill’s layups tied the score at 52 and then Ramsey took over offensively. Ramsey scored nine points in a four-minute span that gave the Texans the lead for good. His 3-pointer at the top of the arc put the Texans up five and the next possession, the senior guard sank a running jumper off the glass for a four-point lead with 26 seconds left. Ramsey finished with 13 points – all in the second half – and a team-leading five assists.

Richie Mitchell and Broddie combined to go 4-4 at the free throw line in the final 10 seconds to secure the win. Mitchell had six points off the bench. Hawley joined Broddie, Ramsey and Gaffney in double figures with 11 points, adding seven rebounds and a game-high four steals.

The Texan forwards controlled the paint, outscoring the Mustangs 44-20 down low. Jesse Hill posted eight points and added seven rebounds on the night.

Tarleton will continue its three-game road trip with a matchup at Texas A&M-Commerce on Thursday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.

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