STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton State Men’s Basketball got back on the winning side of the basketball with an 88-57 victory over Tabor College Bluejays on Thursday night at Wisdom Gym.
The Texans (1-3) notched their first win of the season against NAIA Tabor College (0-2).
Joseph Martinez posted a career-high 17 points in a breakout game for the Canutillo, Texas, native. The sophomore shot five-for-eight from the floor and six-for-six from the line. He also shot one-for-two from deep. Martinez was one of two Texan to play all forty minutes.
Bubu Benjamin tied for the team-high with 17 points. Benjamin was one of two Texans to shoot 100 percent from the line, shooting five-for-five.
Caleb Evans and Jordan Mizell tied for the team-high with seven boards. Nick Krass was the other Texan to play all 40 minutes. The sophomore Krass tallied seven steals the most by a Texan since February 23, 2023 when Shamir Bogues notched 11. Krass set a new career high with 13 points. Evans was one of five donning the Purple and White to score in double digits posting 13 along with Mizell posting 13 as well.
Tarleton started the first half with the hot hands of Martinez. Martinez sunk a pair of shots to put the Texans ahead early, 5-2. A combination of a pair of Martinez free throws and an Izzy Miles jumper put the Texans up, 11-5.
The Purple and White broke out to an 11-point lead, 23-12, thanks to a 10-2 run. A triple by Evans and back-to-back buckets by Benjamin fueled the Texan burst. A Martinez jumper to give him his 12th point of the half gave the Texans their biggest lead of 12, 29-17.
After a 10-0 Tabor run shortened the Texan lead to just two, 31-29, Krass took over. The sophomore Krass made back-to-back mid-range jumpers to put the Texans up six. After a Benjamin two pointer, Krass sunk a triple and a layup to give the Texans nine points in a 1:51 span. The Bluejays hit a triple in the final Texans seconds to send the game into the half with a 44-34 Tarleton lead.
The Bluejays came out of the half on a mission. Kalep Crane scored all six of 6-2 Tabor run to cut the Texan lead to six, 46-40. Four -straight points by Benjamin and a layup by Mizell put the Purple and White on their own 6-2 run to bring the lead back to ten.
After a Bluejay sunk a three, the Texans broke out on an 11-0 run. A technical foul was issued after the triple, sending Martinez to the line. He made a pair to start the burst. Back-to-back buckets by Mizell including a steal and score followed bumping the Texans advantage to 15. Benjamin closed out the run with a pair of free throws to put the Texans ahead, 63-45, their biggest lead of the night.
Leading by 14 at the midpoint of the second half, the Texans took complete control. Tarleton used a 14-0 lead to balloon its lead to 28, 81-53 with six minutes to go. The Texans cruised in the final six minutes to take their first win of the season, 88-57.
The Texans shot a season-best 56 percent (34-for-61) from the floor. Tarleton shot 18-for-23 from the free throw line, 78 percent. The Purple and White out-rebounded the Bluejays 42-19.
Tarleton will play its third Power Four conference opponent of the season on Sunday against Baylor. The Texans will take on the 12th ranked team in the nation at the Foster Pavilion in Waco at 7 p.m.
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