STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS – In a game that was decided by defense the Texas A&M-Kingsville men’s basketball team got just enough offense to get past perennial Lone Star Conference powerhouse Tarleton State on Wednesday night in front of a hostile crowd of 2,318.  The Javelinas (11-5, 1-0) won the game, 51-45, to snap a streak of 13 consecutive losses to the Texans (12-4, 0-1).  (box score)

The Texans held the lead for the majority of the first half, but the Javs closed it with a 7-0 run to take a 25-21 lead at the half.

In the second half, the two teams traded buckets for the first 10 minutes before the Javelinas started to take control.  The Hoggie defense did not allow the Texans to make a field goal for a 14:06 span in the second half.   The Javs built up a nine point lead and did not allow TSU to draw any closer than four points over the final nine minutes of the game.

The Javs limited the Texans to 19.2 percent shooting from the field in the second half and a 1-for-15 performance from three-point range for the entire game.  The one three-pointer came with just four seconds remaining in the game.

Junior Royce Gaye (Houston/Klein HS) led the Javelinas with 12 points and nine rebounds, just missing his first career double-double.  Chip Jones (Fort Worth/Univ. of Houston) came off the bench to score 12 points, block two shots and pick up three steals.  Robert Williams (Dallas/Kimball HS) added seven points and a team high 11 rebounds. 

The Javs shot 32.8 percent from the field, made 3-of-15 three-pointers and were 6-for-15 from the foul line.  The team forced 14 turnovers while committing just nine and out rebounded the Texans by a 49-40 margin.

The Texans were led by Eric Williams’ 10 points and 11 rebounds.  Cortney Hill and Monquel Pegues each added nine points apiece.  The team shot 28.3 percent from the field and made 14-of-20 free throws.  Hill had three of the team’s eight blocks in the game.

The Javelinas have now won four games in a row.  The 45 points allowed and 28.3 percent opponent field goal percentage was the lowest they have allowed all season.  The Javelinas are back in action on Saturday against LSC South rival Midwestern State at 7 o’clock in the Steinke Center.  The game can be listened and watched online by clicking on the live broadcasts link on www.javelinaathletics.com.
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