Alpine, TX - Texas A&M-Kingsville put together a complete performance Saturday afternoon, defeating Sul Ross State 70-64 to close out their road trip out west at the Gallego Center.
The Javelinas (10-10, 7-5 LSC) controlled the game for over 31 minutes, leading by as many as eight points. After falling short in their previous contest at Western New Mexico, Texas A&M-Kingsville responded with a balanced offensive attack and dominated the paint against the Lobos (4-13, 2-10 LSC).
Bryson Goldsmith paced the Javelinas with a game-high 17 points on 7-11 shooting from the floor, adding six rebounds and dishing out a team-high five assists. Jason Sautter contributed 15 points on an efficient 6-10 shooting performance while grabbing three rebounds. KC Udolisa chipped in eight points off the bench, while James Livingston added four points and a team-high four assists. Bryce Smith pulled down a team-high eight rebounds to go along with two points.
Texas A&M-Kingsville established its presence in the paint early and often, outscoring Sul Ross State 40-22 in points in the paint. The rebounding battle proved crucial, as Texas A&M-Kingsville out-rebounded Sul Ross State 42-33, including an 11-6 advantage on the offensive glass.
With Sul Ross State draining a pair of free throws at 4:44 to tie the game at 60-60, the Javelinas responded with a decisive run that proved to be the difference. Livingston broke the tie moments later with a jumper to give Texas A&M-Kingsville a 62-60 edge.
From there, Goldsmith connected on back-to-back layups, while Oriaku added one of his own to cap an 8-0 run that gave the Javelinas their largest lead of the game at 68-60. The surge in just over two minutes showcased Texas A&M-Kingsville's ability to execute in crunch time, turning a tied game into a commanding lead that Sul Ross State would not recover from.
The Javelinas' bench provided a significant spark throughout the contest, contributing 53 points compared to just 23 from the Lobos' reserves. This depth allowed Texas A&M-Kingsville to maintain their intensity and control of the game even as starters rotated in and out.
Texas A&M-Kingsville returns home to host St. Edward's University on Thursday, February 5 at 7:30 p.m. for Pack the House Night at the Gil E. Steinke Physical Education Center.
