- Box Score
- Photo Gallery
STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton returned to action after a week off for Christmas and improved to 9-2 overall with an 84-55 win over Dallas Christian Monday in Stephenville.
Tarleton averaged .484 from the floor and hit 11 three-point field goals as the purple and white defense held the Crusaders to .385 from the field as Tarleton ends the calendar year on a four-game winning streak.
Jeremiah Wilson recorded his third straight double-double as he led the team with 13 rebounds while scoring 14 points.
The Texans' Effran Bryant put the Texans ahead 3-2 with 18:31 on the clock and opened an 8-0 run that put Tarleton ahead 8-2 with just under three minutes gone in the game. The Crusaders made it 8-4 before a free throw by Donta Smith and two by Corin Henry. The two teams then traded points before Henry hit a jumper to put Tarleton up by eight (16-8) with 12:04 remaining in the half.
A three by Antwan Warren cut the score to five before Devon Hills had a layup for the Texans. Dalon Parker then had a three before a Kelsey Alexander jumper cu the score to 18-16 with 9:36 left in the half. Tarleton then went on a run of its own.
Texans Chris Harrell and Jeremiah Wilson then had back-to-back threes to push the lead to eight. Bryant then did the same to push the lead to double digits. Smith got a steal and a dunk before a turnover led to a Wilson layup. Hills then added two free throws to make it 33-16 with 4:34 remaining in the period. Parker and Darrion Washington traded a jumper and a three, respectively, before two free throws by Warrant cut the lead to 16.
Washington added a layup followed by the same by Hills and a three by the Texan junior that made it 43-20 with 33 seconds on the clock. With two ticks left, Wilson added a bonus shot to put Tarleton ahead 44-20 at the break.
Tarleton stretched the lead to 34 in the first five minutes of the second half when Wilson hit back-to-back jumpers to make it 56-22. The two teams traded baskets before a Jeremy Gilbert layup opened a 13-6 run that put the Texans up 74-36 with 7:55 on the clock when Bryant hit a three.
Again the two teams traded buckets, though the Crusakers did cut the lead to 27 with 19 seconds left when Warren hit two free throws. Wilson added to the lead with two free throws with four ticks left to give Tarleton the 84-55 victory.
Hills had 18 points to lead the Texans while Bryant and Wilson each had 14. Tarleton outrebounded the foe 43-28 and outscored them in the paint 34-14. Tarleton also outscored them 16-4 in second chance points, 13-6 in fastbreak points and 24-13 off the bench.
Tarleton averaged .484 from the floor (31-64), .423 from the arc (11-26) and .733 from the charity stripe (11-15).
The Crusaders were led by Christian Lawyer with 16 points while Warren (15) and Paker (11) each scored in double figures. Parker's seven boards led the squad.
DCC averaged .385 from the floor (20-52), .227 from the arc (5-22) and .667 from the line (10-15).
Tarleton will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 2 at home against Texas-Permian Basin at 7 p.m.
