STEPHENVILLE — Dior Johnson set another record tying the Tarleton State Division I era made free throw record in a 77-54 win over former Lone Star Conference rival, Angelo State on Monday night in the EECU Center.
The Texans (3-3) knocked off the Rams (5-1) in their program most 82nd meeting. The Rams still own the all-time series 43-39, with the Texans 1-0 in the D1 era. Tarleton State has outscored Angelo State, 4,007-3,674 since 1988.
“He [Johnson] is a very good offensive player,” said head coach Billy Gillispie. “He knows how to get contact and still finish and play at the right pace. It was great to get a win over an old rival.”
Johnson led the Texans in scoring for the second consecutive game. Johnson, the reigning WAC Player of the Week scored 30+ for the third time this season. For the second straight game, Johnson set another Texan D1 era record. He sunk 18 of his 21 free throws to tie Freddy Hicks for the most ever by a Texan in the D1 era. He was just one shy of the Tarleton State all-time program record of 19 set by Brandon Burney twice in 1999 and 2001. The junior transfer came off the bench for the sixth-straight game of the season and logged 32 minutes. He also recorded four rebounds, an assist and a steal while drawing 10 fouls. He shot 7-for-15 from the floor and made one of his two shots from deep.
Andy Sigiscar notched a career-best 13 points, his first time scoring in double figures in his collegiate career. The redshirt-freshman also registered a team-high two blocks. Sigiscar shot 4-for-8 from the floor and 5-for-7 from the free throw line. Ocypher Owens grabbed a team-best eight boards and added a season-best eight points. For the second-consecutive game, Jordan Mizell dished out a game-best five assists. Mizell also added eight points, seven rebounds and a team-high three steals. Kaia Isaac became the first Texan to play all 40 minutes in a game this season.
The Texans started out early with Mizell grabbing a loose ball rebound and taking it coast to coast for the first basket of the game. Isaac hit a three in the first few minutes of the half for the second consecutive game, followed by Leroy Kelly IV finishing a step-through fast break layup to put the Texans up, 7-2. After the Rams responded with a triple, the Texans used a 9-0 run to distance themselves with a 11-point advantage. During the run, Johnson knocked down his first shot of the night, a corner three.
Back-to-back layups from Owens put the Texans ahead 14. But the Rams clawed back to get their deficit within five on an 9-0 run of their own. With 8:28 left, Johnson took control of the remainder of the half. He ran off eight-straight Texan points with two made field goals and a pair of made free throws. After Owens made a put-back layup and Sigiscar made a layup, it was time for Johnson again.
Johnson closed the half running off the final nine Texan points. He finished with a 5-0 run of his own to send the Texans into the half ahead 19, 44-25. Johnson posted a season-best 20 first half points shooting 5-for-8 from the floor and 9-of-10 from charity stripe.
The second half started with seven combined free throws from the two squads. The first made shot from the floor didn’t come until over three minutes gone in the second half. Sigiscar drove the lane drawing the foul and making the basket as he fell to the court. The two crews kept trading free throws over the first several minutes of the half, with the Rams first bucket coming with 14:10 remaining in the half.
Shortly after the Rams first bucket of the second half, the shots started falling for both teams. The Texans notched four consecutive points on back-to-back lay-ups from Sigiscar. On the next Texan possession, Isaac drove the lane and knocked down basket and drew the foul for the and-one opportunity. He converted on the freebie attempt to complete the three-point play and give the Texans a 57-38 lead nearly halfway through the half.
A pair of Johnson free throws put the Texans ahead by 20 for the second time in the half at that point. The Rams knocked their deficit below 20 with a triple. Mizell kept the Texans lead hovering around 20 scoring four consecutive Texan points with the second coming on a tip in off the rim. Damion Porter Jr. scored his first points as a Texan by sinking a pair at the free throw line to keep the Texans ahead by 19.
The Purple and White closed out the final minutes of the contest with their lead never shrinking below 15. A 9-0 Texan run in the final four and half minutes rose their lead to 24 with just a few minutes to play. Tarleton State held out the clock in the final minute to even their record at 3-3 with a 77-54 victory.
The Texans won the turnover battle committing 17 and forcing 18. Tarleton State also won the battle of the boards, 43-34, their most rebounds in a game this season. As a team the Texans made 31 of their 36 shots from the charity stripe, 86.1 percent. For the fourth time this season the Texans tallied at least 40 points off the bench recording, 56. For the second time this season, 14 Texans entered the game, tied for the most ever by a Coach Gillispie coached Texan team.
Tarleton State will play its second and final game of the week on the road in the great state of Texas. The Texans will travel to Houston to take on Rice at 7 p.m. at the Tudor Fieldhouse.
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