STEPHENVILLE — Tarleton State Men’s Basketball closed the regular season in Wisdom Gym with a 69-66 victory over the Seattle U Redhawks on Saturday afternoon.
With the victory, the Texans (23-8 overall, 16-4 WAC) are likely to earn a two-round bye and start the 2024 WAC Tournament on Friday night at 10:30 CT/8:30 PT at the Orleans Arena. Seattle U (18-13, 11-9) will more than likely earn a first-round bye and play their first game on Thursday night. The Texans can earn a share of the WAC title win a CBU victory over GCU which tipped off about an hour after the completion of Tarleton’s game.
Before the game, the Texans hosted a special recognition for the four graduating seniors and three graduating managers. At halftime, Tarleton State’s longtime AD Lonn Resiman was honored with a video tribute, standing ovation, and speeches in honor of his retirement after 36 years of dedication to Tarleton Athletics.
KiAndre Gaddy posted a team-high 21 points and added seven boards. Devon Barnes notched his 21st double-figure scoring total with 14 points and five boards. Adam Moussa had a stellar game off the bench with 12 points, three rebounds and two assists. Moussa has scored 10-plus in three of his last five games. Traivar Jackson swatted four shots to post the second highest single game block total by a Texan in a game this season.
Gaddy started off hot for the Texans scoring the first nine Texan points of the game, where TSU found themselves ahead, 9-7, minutes into the game. Gaddy shot four-for-four from the floor with a steal, an offensive rebound and a made three throw during the span.
Leading 13-12, the Texans used an 11-3 run to balloon the lead to nine, their largest advantage if the game. Jackson accounted for four points, while the run was capped by an Emmanuel Innocenti triple putting the Texans up 24-15 with 9:48 remaining in the half.
Seattle U responded with a 7-0 run of their own to cut its deficit to two, in a span of 3:15. The two teams swapped buckets for the remainder of the half before the Texans closed the half on a 5-0 run to take a 39-32 lead into the break.
Tarleton got off to a slow start in the second 20-minute session scoring only on three made free throws in the first three minutes. Seattle U took advantage of the TSU struggles and opened the half on a 13-3 run to gain a three-point lead just under six minutes into the second half.
Jackson sunk the Texans’ first shot from the floor with a layup to bring the Texans within a point, 45-44. Gaddy gave the Texans the lead back with a jumper in the paint to put the Texans up briefly before the Redhawks nailed a triple at the other end giving them the advantage once again. However, the hot hands of Barnes lit up as he buried a three-pointer of his own to give TSU the lead, 51-50, a lead they would hold for the rest of the game.
Barnes knocked down his second from deep the very next possession and Moussa sunk a jay in the paint to cap the Texans 8-0 run, their longest of the contest.
Tarleton led 65-58 with 3:46 to go, but SU wasn’t done yet. The Redhawks ran four-straight to cut the lead to three just a minute later. A jumper by Moussa and a pair of made free throws by Barnes iced the game for the Texans giving the squad their 23rd win of the season, 69-66.
The Texans improved to 34-0 when shooting better than 50 percent and 11-0 this season. Tarleton shot exactly 50 percent, 29-for-58. The Purple and White tied on the battle of the boards with the Redhawks, 36-36. SU won the turnover battle, 10-9.
Tarleton State will head out to Las Vegas for the 2024 WAC Tournament presented by Hercules Tire. The Texans are currently slated to have the second seed which would pit their first game on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. CT in the semifinals at the Orleans Arena. The official bracket will be released on Sunday.
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