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Buffs Come Up Short In 74-69 Loss To Rams Thursday
Feb. 10, 2005
SAN ANGELO, Texas --- The West Texas A&M University men's basketball had a chance at the end, but came up short, falling to Angelo State University, 74-69, Thursday night at ASU's Junell Center. The loss snaps WTAMU's two-game win streak overall as the Buffs tried to win three-straight for the first time this season. It also snapped WTAMU's five-game win streak over ASU.
The Buffs were down by three in the waning seconds, but senior guard Carl Lamb's 3-point attempt from the corner with four seconds to go was blocked and ASU rebounded and hung on for the win.
WTAMU is now 10-12 overall and 4-3 in the Lone Star Conference South Division, while ASU is 10-13 overall and 3-5 in LSC South play.
It also splits the season series with the teams, after WTAMU beat ASU, 72-56, last Thursday at Canyon.
Senior forward Carlos Silva came off the bench to score 14 points, while Lamb added 11 points, and freshman guard Kyle Shields chipped in with nine points. Senior forward Jamil Terrell, WTAMU's leading scorer, was held to four points, but pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
ASU had three players in double-digits, led by Jermel Brooks with 21 points, while Kenny Smith netted 20 points and Jordan Walker added 14. Rashawn Childs pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, helping the Rams' to a 39-35 rebounding advantage.
WTAMU shot better from the field, 45.5 percent to 42.4 percent, but were outscored in the paint, 44-24.
The Buffs shot 25-of-55 from the field, including 8-of-26 (30.8 percent) from behind the 3-point arc and were 11-of-17 (64.7 percent) from the free throw line.
The Rams were 28-of-66 (42.4 percent) from the field and 3-of-18 (16.7 percent) from 3-point land. ASU was 15-of-19 (78.9 percent) from the charity stripe, with two of the biggest by Childs with 11.7 seconds left to put ASU up 72-69, setting up Lamb's game-tying attempt.
WTAMU found itself down by double-digits just seven minutes into the game after a dunk by Childs put ASU ahead, 25-12 at the 13:00 mark.
The Buffs charged back to take a 35-34 at 3:15 after a pair of free throws from senior forward Richard Higginbotham. Later, Lamb hit a trey, followed by a Silva dunk, then a Higginbotham basket put WTAMU ahead, 44-38 with 41.3 seconds left in half, but ASU's Marlow Rockwell hit two free throws with 18.7 ticks on the clock to pull the Rams within 44-40 at the half.
Brooks opened the second stanza with a layup, then hit one-of-two free throws to draw ACU within one at 44-43. On ASU's next possession, Smith drove the lane and went up for a dunk and drew a blocking foul on Shields, but missed the dunk, however, the officials awarded the basketball to ASU and Smith hit the ensuing free throw to put the Rams ahead at 46-44 at the 18:02 point.
A minute later, Silva had another dunk to tie it at 48-all, and later, sophomore guard Jordanas Mejeras hit a 3-pointer to put the Buffs up 57-52 with 12:23 to go.
That would be WTAMU's biggest lead of the half, as ASU stormed back to take a 58-57 lead before Mejeras hit another trey and Silva hit a bucket to put the Buffs up, 62-60, with 7:28 to play but ASU outscored WTAMU, 14-7, from there on out.
Lamb hit a 3-pointer with 2:46 to play to knot the score at 67-all, the sixth and final tie of the half.
Both teams went cold and scoreless over the next two minutes until Smith hit his third 3-pointer of the game with 34.2 seconds left. WTAMU worked the ball around, finding Shields for a 3-pointer from the right wing, but it was off the mark and Terrell snared the rebound and put it back with 13.0 seconds to draw the Buffs within 70-69.
WTAMU fouled Childs on the inbounds back and hit both free throws. The Buffs then found Lamb in the corner, but Walker blocked his desperation 3-point attempt before the ball could even get out of his hands. ASU's Dustin Patton grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Patton hit both free throws with 1.1 seconds left to ice the win.
WTAMU will head to Abilene, Texas to take on Abilene Christian University on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. ACU is 8-15 overall and 1-7 in LSC South play, currently on a five-game losing streak and 11 of the last 12, after losing to Eastern New Mexico University, 85-77, Thursday. The Buffs beat ACU, 97-83, last Saturday at Canyon, setting a season-high point output behind Terrell's career-high 19 rebounds and career-high tying 26 points.
Fans can tune into WTAMU Basketball action on the Buffalo Sports Network on KGNC 710 AM or streamed on the Internet at www.gobuffsgo.com.
WTAMU will be on the road next weekend as well, traveling to Wichita Falls, Texas to take on Midwestern State University on Thursday, Feb. 17, before heading to Commerce, Texas to face Texas A&M University-Commerce on Saturday, Feb. 19.
The Lady Buffs and Buffs return home to host Texas A&M University-Kingsville on Thursday, Feb. 24. The WTAMU women conclude regular season action by hosting Texas Woman's University on Saturday, Feb. 26. The world renowned slam dunk acrobatic group "The Extreme Team" will be performing at halftime.
Contact the WTAMU Athletics Ticket Office at 806-651-4424 for ticket information.
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