HOUSTON, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team (4-6, 1-2 RRAC) hit the road on Saturday and pushed Red River Athletic Conference rival Houston Baptist University (10-2, 6-0) to the limit.  The game saw nine ties and 23 lead changes before HBU took the 82-79 win in the final seconds.

Houston Baptist entered the game as the NAIA’s 12th ranked team nationally, but the Rams were not intimidated.  Texas Wesleyan opened the largest lead by either team in the contest when they led 38-29 with just over four minutes to play in the first half. 

HBU responded with a nine-point run including back-to-back layups from Dwight Jones II to tie the game at 38.  Both teams shot 44% in the first half, but Texas Wesleyan was outstanding from long range (6-11) and from the free throw line (7-8) and held a one-point, 39-38, margin at halftime.

 In the second half, the game intensified.  Both teams hit a new gear as the Rams shot 50% from the floor while HBU shot 53%.  Neither team led by more than five points in the final 20 minutes.

In the game’s final minute, a layup from Texas Wesleyan’s Andrew Bradford gave the Rams a 77-76 lead.  HBU’s Ben McCain drew a foul on the ensuing possession and hit a pair of free throws to put the Huskies on top 78-77 with 36 seconds to play.  The Rams failed to score on their next possession and were forced to foul again.

On consecutive trips to the charity stripe an HBU player hit the first of two free throws and missed the second only to see a teammate grab an offensive rebound.  When the smoke cleared, the Rams trailed 82-77 with six seconds on the clock.  A bucket from Ben Hunt as time expired capped the scoring at 82-79.

Evan Patterson led the Rams with 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting including 3-of-4 from long range.  Scott Reasoner added 15 points while Nino Etienne and Brad Schilder each scored 10.  HBU’s Dwight Jones II led all scorers with 22 points.

The Rams return to action on Monday, January 9, when they travel to Austin, TX, to take on Huston-Tillotson University in RRAC action.  That game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be preceded by a women’s game.