FORT WORTH, TX: The 24th ranked Texas Wesleyan University Men's Basketball team (15-7, 9-4 SAC) scored a season-high 112 points during a 112-71 Sooner Athletic Conference victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State University (11-9, 4-8 SAC) at the Sid Richardson Center Thursday night.
OPSU was shorthanded following an altercation in their previous game against Southwestern Christian. The Aggies suited up only eight players, seven of the freshmen.
The mismatch was quickly apparent as Texas Wesleyan shot 61% from the floor and 43% from three-point range in the first half.
Branden Jenkins went 6-for-7 from the field in the opening half to score 16 points, while
Ryan Harris, in his first start of the season, had 15 at the break.
OPSU's DK Sumo was hot in the first half, hitting 5-of-6 three-pointers. That kept his team close in the early going, but the Rams stretched out a 53-39 lead at halftime.
The second half was all Texas Wesleyan as the Rams limited Sumo to just six more points. The Rams reached the century mark with seven minutes to play when a layup from Harris extended the margin to 43 points at 101-58. A thunderous jam by
Shaun Rost off a feed from Harris on Texas Wesleyan's next possession was the exclamation point on a decisive win.
For the game, the Rams outshot the Aggies 57%-37% from the floor and held a massive +24 rebounding edge.
While OPSU Coach Jerry Olson was limited to just eight players,
Brennen Shingleton was able to spread playing time to 13 active players.
Harris finished with a career-high 37 points. Jenkins added 21 points.
Juwan Jones scored 18, and
Curtiss Anderson posted 13 points for the Rams.
Sumo and Tyler Pate each scored 23 points for OPSU.
The Rams are back in action on Saturday when they host #20 Wayland Baptist University in another SAC tilt. That game is scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. start in the Sid Richardson Center.
Ramblings
- Harris' previous career-high was 33 points against Texas College last season.
- The Rams are now 1-1 all-time against OPSU and 48-39 all-time in SAC play.
- This was the eighth consecutive game and 11th game of the season in which at least two Rams have scored 20 or more points.
- The Rams' next opponent, Wayland Baptist, leads the all-time series 39-36 including a 90-61 win in Plainview earlier this season.
- Thursday's game marked the third time the Rams have eclipsed 100 points this season and was the program's highest scoring effort since a 114-95 win at Bacone on February 25, last season.
