RAPID CITY, S.D. – Despite 16 points from junior John Mouton (Missouri City, Texas), the Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team was handed an overtime defeat in their season opener on Friday night, 80-71, by the South Dakota Mines Hardrockers at the King Center in Rapid City, S.D.
Mouton's team-high 16 points were accompanied by six rebounds. Only senior Robert Stevenson (Houston, Texas) had more with seven, tying for a game-high. Freshman Darius Mickens (Willis, Texas) led all players with five assists while also being credited with 12 points.
The Hogs used a 12-0 run that included seven points from Mouton to grab an early 14-3 lead, but 10 straight points by the home team later in the half put them ahead by two at 21-19 with less than six minutes until halftime.
TAMUK responded with a jumper from sophomore Jamell Bradley (Corpus Christi, Texas) and a trey courtesy of Mickens. The Javelina lead rose back to seven at the 2:43 mark after six straight points by the Blue and Gold, including consecutive scores from freshman Will Chayer (Corpus Christi, Texas).
The last three points of the half belonged to South Dakota Mines, moving them within four at the break. The Javelinas held their opponents to just 1-of-8 from three-point range in the opening period and kept the lead despite taking just two foul shots, while the Hardrockers attempted 21.
South Dakota Mines scored the first bucket of the second half, but after that, the Javelinas took control, using a 10-0 burst to make the score 42-30. Senior Jacolby Harris (Delray, Fla.) tossed in a pair of layups to spark the run and the Javs held their hosts scoreless for nearly five minutes as they added to the lead.
The difference between the sides stayed in double-digits until 10:24 remained in regulation, when Logan Elers hit a layup as part of a stretch of nine straight for the Hardrockers, bringing them to within 47-43 at the 8:54 mark.
The Javelinas kept their lead at two possessions for nearly eight minutes after that, going up by as many as eight. Allec Williams brought the deficit to three with 1:02 on the clock, sinking a fast-break layup. Following a pair of Javelina free throws and a three by Jake Heath, South Dakota Mines got the ball with six seconds remaining and Williams went coast-to-coast for a game-tying, buzzer-beating layup to force overtime.
In the extra period, TAMUK scored first on two foul shots from Stevenson and after another trey from Heath and two free throws by Mickens, the Hogs were again in front, 62-61. Two more treys by the home team sandwiched around Elers hitting two from the charity stripe made the score 69-62 in favor of the Hardrockers. That advantage grew as large as 11 and South Dakota Mines would hit all eight of their free throw attempts in overtime to salt away the victory.
TAMUK will look for a successful conclusion to the LSC/RMAC Crossover on Saturday, when they take on Chadron State at 6 p.m. in Chadron, Neb. To keep up with Javelina men's basketball all year long, follow @JavelinaMBB on Twitter and @JavelinaSports on Instagram, like JavelinaMBB on Facebook and visit Javelinaathletics.com.
