Box Score

NEW ORLEANS, LA:  The seventh ranked Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team (7-2) took a 79-75 win over tenth ranked Westminster College (12-4) at the Big Easy Challenge on Thursday.
 
The Rams came out and displayed a much improved shot selection from the start.  Each of Texas Wesleyan’s first four baskets came at the rim.  Still, Westminster pushed ahead 20-13.  The Rams chipped away and cut the score to 26-25 with a layup from Oscar Griffin midway through the first half.  Three minutes later, a layup from Ronnie Moss put the Rams on top 31-29.  Texas Wesleyan ended the half on an 8-0 run with a pair of threes from Brian Talley and a layup from Griffin Jr. to hold a 47-35 advantage at the intermission.
 
The Griffins showed that they are a top-ten team in the second half and made the Rams earn the victory in the closing minutes.  Westminster started the second half with a 10-2 run.  The Rams pushed back ahead 57-47 with a three-pointer from Moss, but Westminster came right back to take a 61-59 lead.
 
From that point, the game saw five more tie scores and three more lead changes.  After Westminster’s Jordan Hayter scored to push the contest to its tenth tie at 71-71, Griffin Jr. gave the Rams the lead for good when he converted a conventional three-point play with 22 seconds to play.  Jazz Holman came up with a steal on the ensuing Griffin possession and Westminster was forced to foul.  Texas Wesleyan hit three-of-four at the line to lead 79-73 before the Griffins scored at the buzzer to account for the 79-75 final score.
 
Texas Wesleyan head coach Terry Waldrop spoke about bouncing back from a loss to defeat a top-ten team.  “We defended tremendously better tonight, and our offense was a lot more efficient.  Westminster is a good team.  This is another building block for us, and it shows that we can bounce back.  We are a work in progress, but we are maturing and getting better.  Now we have to come back tomorrow and play a Dillard team that has really improved.”
 
The Griffins outshot the Rams 50%-47% from the field, but an aggressive Texas Wesleyan offense outscored Westminster 16-6 at the free throw line.
 
Eric Frederick led all scorers with 26 points while grabbing 10 rebounds.  Griffin added 21 points and seven rebounds to the win.  Moss finished with 14 points, while Talley contributed 11 for the Rams.
 
Jake Orchard scored 19 points for the Griffins, while Gregory Tanner (17) and Hayter (11) also finished in double-figures.
 
The Rams continue play in the Big Easy Challenge on Friday, when they take on Dillard University.  That game is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start.