Box Score
FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University men's basketball team (7-6, 1-3 SAC) suffered an 86-80 loss at the hands of second ranked Southwestern Assemblies of God University (11-1, 4-0 SAC) in the Sid Richardson Center on Thursday.
 
The game marked the third time the Rams have hosted a top-10 team this season.  Texas Wesleyan had previously posted wins over second ranked LSU-Shreveport and seventh ranked John Brown University.  TWU leads the all-time series with SAGU 23-6; however, the Lions have won each of the last four.
 
SAGU raced ahead early, garnering a 16-6 lead.  Texas Wesleyan closed the gap with an 8-2 run, but Daniel Mills and Caleb Gentry answered with back-to-back threes for the Lions.  SAGU maintained a double-figure advantage for the final 8:15 of the first half and led 45-33 at the break.
 
The Rams shot 57.7% from the field in the opening period.  However, SAGU's perimeter defense held the Rams, who came in averaging just over ten three-pointers per game, without a trey and posted an 11-0 turnover margin.
 
The margin ranged from 8-13 points in the second half.  Entering the final minute, SAGU still enjoyed a healthy 78-68 advantage.  In the final 60 seconds, SAGU went just 8-14 at the free throw line to leave the door open.  Unfortunately the Rams just could not find the range from beyond the arc.  The Rams whittled the lead all the way down to 84-80 with five seconds to play, before Gentry hit a pair of free throws and time ran out on the comeback.
 
For the game, the Rams shot 48.5% from the floor, but managed just 2-18 (11.1%) from three-point range (31.8% under their season average).  SAGU shot 41% from the floor and 30% (10-33) from distance.  The Rams led 48-36 in rebounding, while SAGU held a 16-9 turnover margin.
 
"SAGU is a very well coach team," commented head coach Brennen Shingleton.  "They don't make many mistakes, and we had a tough night with a very slow start defensively.  I'm proud of our ability to hang in there.  We shot the ball uncharacteristically poorly tonight.  It happens.  We will bounce back and keep working.  This is a great group of guys that are invested and trying to get this right."
 
Five Rams reached double-figures in scoring, led by Rilwan Bakare's 13.  Jorge Redmon finished with 12.  Kenny Rhymes and Dallas Jones each scored 11, and Deonte Jones posted 10 points in the loss.
 
The Lions also posted five players in double-figures, led by Gentry's 20 points.  Jonathan Walter added 17 points and nine rebounds.  The reigning NAIA National Player of the Week, Dominique Rambo, who entered the game averaging 32 points per game, finished with 14 points.
 
The Rams will continue their version of Rivalry Week on Saturday, as they travel to nearby Cedar Hill, TX, to take on Northwood University.  That game is scheduled for a 5:00 p.m. start.