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Holmes' Career Night Leads Buffs To Upset Over No. 6 Texans With 80-60 Rout
Feb. 25, 2006
The West Texas A&M University men's basketball team upset the sixth-ranked Tarleton State University Texans with an 80-60 rout on Saturday night, to claim the second seed from the Lone Star Conference South Division earning a first-round LSC Tournament game Tuesday night. WTAMU will host Southwestern Oklahoma State University Tuesday night at 8 p.m. in the second half of a doubleheader with the WTAMU women.
WTAMU improved to 20-7 on the year and 9-3 in LSC South, going unbeaten at home during the regular season with a 14-0 mark and the Buffs are currently on an 18-game home winning streak and have won 21 of the last 23 home games in the home whites.
TSU had its 12-game win streak snapped and its five-game road win streak halted, as the Texans were denied an unblemished LSC South record, ending with an 11-1 division mark, and are currently 22-5 overall. The Texans will host Texas A&M University-Commerce, the fourth seed from the North, on Tuesday.
Senior guard Ronnie Holmes had a career night on Senior Night, as he and his other two Buff seniors, guards Govinda Thomas-Carter and Steve Jackson, were recognized during pre-game introductions.
Holmes tallied a career-high 30 points, while hitting a career-high seven 3-pointers, on 7-of-12 from 3-point land, hitting only one field goal inside the arc.
The Buffs hit a season-high 12 3-pointers, finishing 12-of-24 (50.0 percent) behind the arc.
Sophomore guard Kyle Shields tallied 12 points, while Jackson and sophomore forward Tyler Cooper tossed in 11 points apiece.
WTAMU outscored TSU, 23-2 in the final 9:16 of the game, pulling away from a 57-all tie, in limiting the Texans to their lowest point total in an LSC South game this season.
TSU was led by 13 points from Nic Gamble, while John Davis notched a double-double with 12 points and 10 points, and Norbey Aragon tossed in 10 points.
Despite being outrebounded, 39-30, the Buffs' forced 25 Texan turnovers, while WTAMU turned into 26 points, while only committing 13 miscues, including just four in the second half.
WTAMU also outshot TSU from the field and free throw line, as the Buffs were 46.9 percent (23-of-49) compared to 24-of-58 (41.4 percent) for the Texans. It was a difference of two halves, as TSU was 16-of-27 (59.3 percent) in the first half, but just 8-of-31 (25.8 percent) after halftime, as the Buffs outscored the Texans, 47-24, in the second half, behind 13-of-25 (52.0 percent) shooting from the field, which included 6-of-10 (60.0 percent) behind the arc.
WTAMU was 22-of-33 (66.7 percent) at the free throw line, compared to 6-of-13 (46.2 percent) for TSU.
The Buffs opened the game with three-straight 3-pointers from Cooper, Shields and Holmes to jump out to a 9-5 lead. The Texans stormed out to a 29-21 lead before WTAMU closed to 36-33 at the half after Shields hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer from just inside the midcourt line.
After the Texans took a 49-45 lead on a 3-pointer by Aragon with 13:44 to go, the Buffs charged back to take a 57-52 lead at the 10:03 mark after a jumper from Thomas-Carter.
TSU tied it at 57-all on a 3-pointer by Sheffield, who was fouled and gave the Texans a one-point lead with the ensuing free throw to complete the four-point play.
WTAMU then reeled off 17 unanswered points in the next five and half minutes, including two treys from Holmes, to open a 74-58 lead at the 3:45 mark of the game, and the Buffs coasted to the upset win.
The TSU loss prevented the LSC South champion Texans from becoming the first-ever undefeated division champion, but TSU still won its fourth division crown in the last five years.
The Texans will host the fourth-seed from the North, Texas A&M University-Commerce in the first-round of the LSC Tournament Tuesday.
In other first-round games, the South's third seed, Texas A&M University-Kingsville will be at the University of Central Oklahoma, the North's No. 2 seed, while the fourth seed from the South, Eastern New Mexico University, is at LSC North champion, Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
The highest remaining seed after Tuesday will host Friday and Saturday's semifinals and final, with the highest remaining North team will host, meaning if Southeastern Oklahoma wins Tuesday, the Savage Storm will host the Men's LSC Tournament semifinals and final Friday and Saturday, March 3-4.
If WTAMU wins Tuesday, the Buffs will meet the winner of the Southeastern Oklahoma - Eastern New Mexico game on Friday in the semifinals.
For ticket information to Tuesday's LSC Tournament first-round action, contact the WTAMU Athletics Ticket Office at 806-651-4424.
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