KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Texas A&M-Kingsville men’s basketball team has struggled from the foul line all season long, but it had not come back to haunt them until Saturday night when they lost a heart-breaker, 68-65 in overtime to visiting Lone Star Conference South Division rival Midwestern State. (box score)
The Javelinas (11-6, 1-1) went 3-for-11 from the foul line in the second half and missed their final five chances in regulation to allow the Mustangs (13-4, 2-0) to hang around. The Mustangs took advantage of their extra opportunities when Nolan Richardson IV came through with a four-point play to tie the game with 27 seconds remaining in regulation.
In overtime, the visitors wore down the Javelinas and never trailed. The Mustangs nearly allowed the Hoggies to send the game to double overtime when they missed on 5-of-7 free throws down the stretch. Derrell Blackburn (Arlington/Covenant Christian HS) buried a three-pointer for the Javs with 20 seconds left and the team had three opportunities in the closing seconds to tie the game, but each shot missed its mark.
The Javelinas and Mustangs each played excellent defense on the night. The Hogs limited the Mustangs to 35.4 percent shooting from the field and a 5-of-22 performance from three-point range. The Javs did not fare much better from the field hitting 36.8 percent of their shots and connecting on just 4-of-25 three-point attempts.
The Javelinas received a career night from senior Chip Jones (Fort Worth/Univ. of Houston) who scored a career high 20 points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked five shots. He became the school’s single season record holder in blocked shots when he passed Sidney Day’s record of 31 during the 1992-93 season on his third swat of the evening.
Robert Williams (Dallas/Kimball HS) came off the bench to give the Hoggies 15 points, five rebounds and four assists before fouling out in overtime. Clyde Johnson (San Antonio/Converse Judson HS) had 16 points and six rebounds while Flavio Milam (Killeen/Ellison HS) pulled down a career high 14 rebounds. Wendell Mulkey (San Antonio/East Central HS) added six assists and four steals while committing just one turnover in 45 minutes of action.
Richardson was the only Mustang to score in double figures, but he led all scorers with 21 points. Trajinski Grigsby came off the bench to add nine points and 11 rebounds. The win gives the Mustangs 10 consecutive victories and an early lead in the LSC South Division standings.
The Javelinas are back in action on Wednesday night at 8 o’clock against LSC South rival Abilene Christian in the Steinke Center. The game can be watched and listened to online by clicking on the live broadcasts link on www.javelinaathletics.com.
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