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Buffs Prevail in Tough Contest against Texas A&M-Kingsville

WTAMU remains in second place in the LSC South with a 6-2 league record

Junior Chris Hinz was a force in the paint for the Buffs with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting (Photo by Mike Robbins)

Junior Chris Hinz was a force in the paint for the Buffs with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting (Photo by Mike Robbins)

Feb. 8, 2007

Box Score

CANYON, Texas - On the strength of a strong second half and smart play down the stretch, the West Texas A&M men's basketball team defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville, 76-67, in front of 1,658 fans at the First United Bank Center to claim its seventh victory in its last eight games and remain in the thick of the hunt for the Lone Star Conference South Division race.

WTAMU improves its overall record this season to 14-8 and its league mark to 6-2, while the Javelinas fall to 15-7 on the year and 2-5 in conference play.

The two teams dueled to a 30-30 halftime score which featured five ties and six lead changes, with neither team holding more than a four point advantage. At the break, junior forward Chris Hinz led all scorers with eight points, connecting on three of his four first half shot attempts. During the first period, the Buffs did a good job of getting to the free throw line where they converted on 10-of-13 opening period attempts.

Following the intermission, the early minutes of the second half of action were a back-and-forth affair much like the first, with WTAMU building a slim early lead but never being able to pull away from the Javelinas.

A pair of important three point field goals by junior Mohsn Said and Pierre Barlow midway through the second period helped to break the stalemate and kick start the Buffalo offense. WTAMU responded on a 19-5 run to wrestle control of the game away from the Javelinas, sweeping the regular season series from their downstate rivals for the first time since the 1998-99 season.

Senior Damien Lolar led all scorers with 22 points on the night, while Hinz finished with 12. Senior Kevin "Chip" Green finished with nine points for the night all on shots behind the three point arc, where he shot 3-of-5.

 

 

For the game, WTAMU shot 56.1 percent (23-of-41) from the floor compared to the visitors from Kingsville's 48.1 shooting percentage for the game (26-of-54). The Buffs were aided in the winning effort by winning the battle of the boards, as they outrebounded TAMUK 30-24.

The Buffs will return to the court at the First United Bank Center on Feb. 14 as they attempt to avenge a loss earlier this season against LSC South opponent Angelo State in an 8 p.m. match up.