Box Score

WAXAHACHIE, TX: The third ranked Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team (29-3) took a 78-68 win over Paul Quinn College (21-11) in semifinal action at the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament on Friday.

 

With the win, the Rams advance to Saturday’s tournament championship game (6:00 p.m. in Waxahachie, TX), where they will meet fifth ranked LSU-Shreveport who defeated Our Lady of the Lake University on Friday.

In the first half, Paul Quinn held Texas Wesleyan to just 30% shooting while hitting at a 53.6% clip on their end. However, the result was a mere five-point, 35-30, advantage at the break. Meanwhile, three key Tigers picked up three fouls apiece during the first period.

 

A three from Brian Wanamaker just over five minutes into the second half, put the Rams on top 44-43. The Tigers managed to keep the game close for much of the half. The score was tied at 51 midway through the period, but Wanamaker later threw in five points during a 7-0 run that put the game all but out of reach at 70-61 with 1:59 on the clock.

 

Wanamaker finished with 28 points in the game, giving him 1,003 points in his two year career at TWU. He is the eighteenth player in the 74-year history of the program to eclipse 1,000 career points.

 

Jonathan Blake added 25 points to the win. Ty Gough just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while Jeremy Mayfield finished with seven points and 15 boards.

 

For the game, the Tigers outshot the Rams 47.5%-32.8% from the field. However, the Rams got to the free throw line for 45 attempts, scoring 34 points (75.6%). Two Tigers fouled out of the contest, while four others completed play with four fouls.

 

“I don’t think it was our best game, but we did the things that are necessary to win,” commented head coach Terry Waldrop. “Our depth and conditioning was the biggest factor against a team that was playing very very well.”

 

The Tigers were led by Mitchell Thompson’s 22 points Eddren McCain added a double-double with 11 points and 10 assists.

 

The win puts Texas Wesleyan’s overall record at 29-3, just one win shy of the school record of 30 set by the 1946-47 squad.

LSU-Shreveport and Texas Wesleyan split the season series with both teams winning at home.  The Pilots took a 74-68 win in Shreveport in January, and the Rams took a 77-66 overtime win in Fort Worth on Valentine's Day.