KINGSVILLE, Texas - A tune-up exhibition games was on the the cards for the Texas A&M-Kingsville men's basketball team on New Year's Eve against a strong Division III Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders squad. Both teams took full advantage of the opportunity to get back in form before conference play resumes as the Javelinas took the win in overtime, 82-74.
The game was classified as an exhibition for both squads and as such does not count for or against either of their records.
The Javelinas were the first on the scoreboard to open the matchup, but the Crusaders came out firing with the kitchen sink and more against their higher division competition, taking the lead early on in game and refusing to relinquish it. The Hogs briefly inched ahead off a
Zyon Little three-pointer just over halfway through the half, 14-12, but UMHB quickly responded to grab the lead right back. A quick 11-2 run by the Crusaders saw the lead pushed to seven, where both teams began trading baskets and runs for the rest of the half as UMHB took the lead to the locker room, 31-25.
The Hogs came out firing to open the second stanza as
Jason Clark drained eight quick points, including back-to-back threes, in less than two minutes to tie the game at 33-33. Shortly after, two Little free throws gave the Javelinas their first lead since early in the first half, 37-35. Once more, the Crusaders would not go away quietly, quickly fighting to take the lead back with 15:07 remaining in regulation.
The rest of the second half was fiercely battled and highly contested as the teams traded baskets and fouls down the stretch. Fighting back from a six point deficit, the Hogs took a definitive lead for the first time in the game with 2:24 left on the clock following back-to-back buckets from
C.J. Smith.
After Smith drained a further two free throws, the Javelina lead stood at three points with only seconds left on the clock. A running Hail Mary heave from a few feet behind the arc by the Crusaders would be answered, ricocheting off the backboard and straight into the net as the buzzer sounded, sending the game to overtime at 68-68.
The Javelinas flipped the script in the overtime period, taking full control from start to finish.
Marcus Jones-Green was dead-on from downtown after UMHB failed to secure their won opening tipoff, giving the Hogs a three point lead from the jump. The Crusaders cut the lead to a single point twice within the first two minutes of OT, but confident and accurate free throw shooting saw the lead secured and expanded for TAMUK, leaving the SPEC and 2023 with a win, 82-74.
Smith was once again the leading scorer for the Javelinas on the afternoon, finishing with 18 points as well as a team-leading six assists as well as two steals. Clark clocked in right behind Smith was 16 points of his own and a team-leading seven rebounds, tied with
Jordan Henderson. Both stats would have been season-highs for Clark were stats counted for the contest.
Little also put up an impressive offensive performance with 12 points and six rebounds.
The Javelinas had a field day on the defensive side of the ball, racking up 11 steals and 9 blocks on the day. Seven different Javelinas picked a pocket, led by
Allen Singleton with three. Singleton and Henderson both also recorded two blocks apiece as seven different Javelinas also totaled at least one rejection.
UP NEXT
Conference play fires up once again around the Lone Star Conference as the Javelinas welcome St. Mary's and St. Edward's to the Steinke Physical Education Center. The Hogs take on St. Mary's on Thursday with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. then face off against St. Edward's on Saturday at 3 p.m.
The matchup against St. Mary's will be Faith Night while the game against St. Edward's will be Community Night.
Follow the Javelinas all season long by visiting javelinaathletics.com to find links to live stats and streaming information as well as a recap at the end of each contest. To keep up-to-date with Javelina Men's Basketball, follow the program on Facebook /JavelinaMBB or on X @JavelinaMBB. Watch your Javelinas live today on the Javelina Sports Network.
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