RAMS AND WILDCATS GO DOWN TO THE WIRE
January 26, 2007

Box Score

FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team (13-7, 6-1 RRAC) and Wiley College (15-6, 3-3) needed all forty minutes to decide a Red River Athletic Conference contest on Saturday.  Wiley just edged the Rams 70-68.

The first half alone saw seven ties and eight lead changes.  However, Wiley’s Earl Howard stole an inbound pass and fed Ronald Tolbert for a layup as time expired to give his team a 38-31 lead at the break. 

The Rams trailed by 11, 46-65, early in the second period, but Texas Wesleyan began to chip away with a pair of free throws from Evan Randall and a three-point play from Dane Dmitrovic.

The Rams later tied the game at 51, but Wiley pushed back ahead 66-60 with just over three minutes to play.  The Rams still trailed by three when Dmitrovic hit another jumper with 37 seconds to play brining the score to 69-68.  Wiley’s Maurice Wood hit one-of-two from the line on the Wildcat’s next possession to set the thrilling final seconds.

After Texas Wesleyan missed a three-pointer, Dalane Finley stole the rebound away from a Wiley defender and Fred Eshon drew a foul with two seconds to play.  After missing the first shot, Eshon deliberately missed the second and the Rams got the ball back.

After Wiley tipped the ball out of bounds with 0.6 seconds showing on the clock, the Finley got a good look at a game-winning three, but his shot just missed and lodged in between the rim and the back board.

Eshon led all scorers with 20 points.  Dmitrovic just missed a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds.

Four Wildcats reached double-figures in scoring led by Michael Essien’s 15 points.

The Rams scored 20 points off of 18 Wiley turnovers but found their downfall at the free throw line where they hit 21-of-34 (62%).