Box Score

 FORT WORTH, Texas--Southwestern Assemblies of God University was able to hold off a late rally by the Texas Wesleyan men’s basketball team on Monday night, as the Rams suffered a 75-73 loss to the Lions at the Sid Richardson Center.
 
The loss marks the second straight for the Rams as they fall to 9-4 on the season and 5-3 in the RRAC. It is the first time Texas Wesleyan has dropped back to back home games since January 28^th, 2008. This also marks SAGU’s first win over the Rams since 2006.
 
The Rams forced themselves into an early hole in the first half with 11 turnovers and shooting the ball less than 40 percent from the field.
 
Dominique Rambo had 13 points in the first half for the Lions as he helped carry his squad into halftime with a 16-point advantage at 41-25. Rambo led all scorers to end the game with 23 points, 1 assist, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals on the night.
 
SAGU held their largest lead in the second half by 23 points at 50-27 with 15:16 remaining. The Rams started to chip away at the deficit and late in the second half Dallas Jones sunk down a three-pointer off of an assist by Mo Weathers to cut the lead to single-digits at 65-56 with 4:49 remaining.  
 
Jones had 12 points and 4 rebounds in the game, while Weathers picked up 10 points, 3 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.
 
Caleb Gentry sent Jones to the free-throw line as the junior guard was able to knock down both free shot opportunities to pull the Rams within four at 67-63 with 1:42 to play.
 
Mo Weathers hit from behind the arc with a crucial three-pointer from an assist by Brian Talley to bring the score at 70-68 with .50 seconds remaining.
 
After the ball was lobbed to Mike Nwelue who converted with an easy layup to push the lead out to four, Weathers was unable to hit from the paint as Isaiah Jay grabbed the offensive rebound then was able to make a statement with a slamming dunk to put the Rams back within two at 72-70 with .37 seconds remaining.
 
Nwelue turned the ball over on the next possession for the Lions and once again Jay came down with an offensive rebound off of a three-point shot from Jones to lay it up and tied the score at 72 with .24 seconds remaining to play. Jay made his first appearance of the season after missing the first 12 games of the season and had 8 points, 2 assists, and 6 rebounds in his season debut.
 
Nathaniel Ward came away with a dunk off of an assist by Nwelue to extend the lead back out to two for the Lions with .17 seconds on the clock.
 
Oscar Griffin was sent to the free-throw line in an attempt to tie the score off of a foul from Ward, but Griffin was only able to knock down 1 of 2 to pull the Rams within one point at 74-73.

Jonathan Walter was sent to the free throw line next and only hit one of his two opportunities to make the score 75-73 with less than .10 seconds remaining. Jay had a chance to force overtime with a shot under the basket but the ball was unable to fall and SAGU escaped the Sid Richardson Center with a victory.
 
Griffin led the Rams in scoring with 22 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds.
 
This was the Rams final game before the Christmas break and will return to the court in the new year on January 3^rd, against Northwood.
 
“We will get better,” said head coach Brennen Shingleton. “We will have a great week of practice after Christmas and get ready for the peak of our season.”