KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The scouting report on the West Texas A&M men’s basketball team was to force them to shoot the ball from outside the three-point line. Texas A&M-Kingsville executed that game plan, but the Buffs made them pay by connecting on 7-of-12 three-point attempts en route to a 69-61 Lone Star Conference victory.

The Buffs (6-1, 2-0) entered the game shooting only 15.0 percent from three-point range hitting on 5-of-8 attempts in the first half. Late in the second half, the Javelinas (6-4, 1-1) had just cut the lead to seven points with 3:17 remaining when David Henderson drained a back-breaking three-pointer.

Conversely, the Javelinas struggled to knock down jumpers all game long. They shot only 36.2 percent from the field and made 5-of-17 from three-point range.

The Buffs built up a 10-point first half lead and then an 11-0 run early in the second half pushed the lead to 19 points. The Javs put together a 14-3 run culminating in Ashton Brown’s (Randolph, NY/Central HS) conventional three-point play to cut the lead to 58-51 only to be answered by Henderson trey.

The Javelinas continued their season long success at the foul line by making 22-of-24 attempts. They had 26 rebounds, seven assists and 15 turnovers. Brown led the team with 21 points, five rebounds and four assists as he went 11-for-11 at the charity stripe and is now 59-of-60 for the season. Robert Williams (Dallas/Kimball HS) added 16 points, eight rebounds and two steals. No one else scored more than six points.

The Buffs shot 53.3 percent from the field and made 14-of-21 free throw attempts. They had 30 rebounds, 13 assists and 15 turnovers. They had five players score in double figures. Kennon Washington had 14 points while Courtney Carr had 14 points and eight rebounds. Donald Sims just missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds while Lionel Foster had 12 points and six assists.

The Javelinas are back in action on Wednesday at home against Tarleton State at 8 p.m.
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