FORT WORTH, TX: The 19th ranked Texas Wesleyan University men's basketball team (11-2) rode an historic shooting night from
Jeremy Crane to an 88-61 win over Bethel College (9-6) at the Sid Richardson Center on New Year's Eve.
Crane, a junior from North Richland Hills, TX, closed out 2016 with style as he came off the bench to tie the school record with nine made 3-pointers. Crane lit up the Threshers to the tune of 7-of-9 from long range and 23 points in the first half alone. With 7:15 to play in the contest, Crane drilled his ninth of the game, tying the mark set by Robert Allen against SW Oklahoma State University during the 2000-2001 season. Crane finished with a career-high 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting including 9-of-14 from beyond the arc.
The Threshers trailed only 30-26 with 7:55 on the clock in the first half, when a triple from Crane sparked a 12-0 run. The Rams closed the half on a 25-6 run to lead 55-32 at the intermission.
Bethel never got closer than 18-points while the Rams stretched the margin to as many as 29 (73-44) in the second half.
For the game, the Rams shot 45.5% from the field while holding the Threshers to 32.3%. The Rams forced 23 turnovers while committing only 12. With Crane's effort, the Texas Wesleyan reserves outscored the Bethel bench 51-20 while the Rams led 40-14 in the paint, 21-6 in points off of turnovers, and 28-5 on the fast break.
Najeal Young posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds to go with six blocked shots.
Dion Rogers scored 13 points and
Ryan Harris finished with 12.
Naiel Smith posted five points, 10 assists, and six steals.
Bethel was led by Deven Goodwin's 17 points. Jacob Miller finished with nine points and a game-high 18 rebounds (14 in the first half).
The Rams will return to action on Thursday, when they travel to Chickasha, OK, for a Sooner Athletic Conference contest with the University of Science & Arts. That game is scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. start.
Ramblings
- This was the first ever meeting between Texas Wesleyan and Bethel.
- Crane's previous career-high was 25 points against Barclay College this season. In that game he went 7-for-9 from 3-point range.
- The Rams are 8-7 all-time against USAO. They are 27-31 all-time in SAC play.
