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Buffs Hold Off OPSU Charge To Garner First Win Of Season, 69-66, Monday
Nov. 22, 2004
GOODWELL, Okla. -- The West Texas A&M University men's basketball team used a 24-11 second-half surge to take a 12-point lead, then the Buffs held off a frantic Oklahoma Panhandle State University rally as the Buffs garnered their first win of the year with a 69-66 victory Monday night at OPSU's Oscar Williams Fieldhouse at Goodwell, Okla.
Senior forward Jamil Terrell recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Buffs, while junior guard Steve Jackson netted eight of his 10 points in the final five minutes and cranked up the defensive intensity to put the clamps on OPSU.
With the win, the Buffs improve to 1-1 on the young season, while the Aggies drop to 2-3, who were playing without starting guard Tim Anderson, who was suspended one game after being ejected in the Aggies' loss to Pittsburg State Saturday. WTAMU now holds a 46-4 all-time advantage vs. OPSU.
Jackson gave WTAMU its biggest lead of the game at 63-51 with 4:59 remaining off a lay-up, before OPSU reeled off nine unanswered points to claw back to 63-60 with 2:35 left.
Jackson ended the streak with a pair of free throws at the 2:04 mark to put the Buffs ahead, 65-60, only to see the Aggies charge back and take a 66-65 lead with 1:22 following four free throws, including two on a technical.
The Buffs took the lead for good with a pair of Jackson free throws with 38.8 seconds left.
Later, the WTAMU defense caused an OPSU turnover and junior guard Govinda Thomas-Carter netted two free throws with 6.6 ticks on the clock.
The Aggies frantically tried to get off the game-tying 3-pointer, but the Buffs knocked the ball away as time expired.
Thomas-Carter ended the game with 12 points, while senior guard Carl Lamb and senior forward Carlos Silva added 11 points apiece.
WTAMU shot 50.0 percent (21-42) from the field, including4-12 (33.3 percent) from 3-point land. The Buffs were 23-30 (76.7 percent) from the free throw line.
OPSU was 23-57 (40.4 percent) field goal shooting, including 3-18 (16.7 percent) from behind the 3-point arc, and were 17-21 (81.0 percent) from the charity stripe.
Both teams grabbed 25 rebounds each, while WTAMU committed 25 turnovers, including 18 in the first half. OPSU committed 20 turnovers.
The Buffs make their home opener at the WTAMU Event Center this weekend, hosting the Coca-Cola/First United Bank Thanksgiving Shootout. The Shootout opens with Arkansas Tech University taking on Southwestern Oklahoma State University on Friday, Nov. 26 at 6 p.m., followed by the WTAMU men against Missouri Southern State University at 8 p.m.
On Saturday, the WTAMU women will face the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs at 2 p.m., followed by the Shootout consolation game at 4 p.m. and championship at 6 p.m.
NCAA Basketball's Champion's Challenge will be going on in conjunction with the Shootout on Saturday in the WTAMU Event Center parking lot from 1 - 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact the WTAMU Athletics Ticket Office at 806-651-4424.
Fans can tune in to Buff basketball on the Buffalo Sports Network on either KGNC 710 AM, or streamed on the Internet on www.gobuffsgo.com.
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