RAMS GROUND #3 PILOTS, 93-72
December 13, 2005

FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan men’s basketball team (4-4) knocked off previously undefeated and 3rd ranked LSU Shreveport (12-1) in the Sid Richardson Center on Tuesday.  The Pilots came in averaging 107.8 points per game, but the Rams used stifling defense to take a 93-72 victory.

Wesleyan was coming off a 107-72 victory over Wiley College.  That win marked number 100 for head coach Terry Waldrop.  Waldrop’s career record now stands at 100 wins and 86 losses.  He reached the milestone faster than any coach in school history by getting to #100 in just over six seasons.  With number 101 tonight, he became the third winningest coach in school history behind Elmer Hanebutt (160) and Johnny Howerton (118).

Neither team led by more than five points until back-to-back threes from Evan Patterson and CJ Higginbotham gave the Rams a 35-26 edge with five minutes remaining in the first half.  Consecutive buckets from LSUS’ Jeremy Johnston cut the margin to four, 39-35, at half time.

The Pilots cut the Rams’ lead to three, 50-47, five minutes into the second half, but Texas Wesleyan rattled off eight unanswered points to regain control.  From that point the Rams maintained at least an eight-point lead and won going away 93-72.

Texas Wesleyan out shot LSUS 52%-40% and held the edge in rebounding 48-34.  The Pilots’ Josh Porter led all scorers with 24 points.  Texas Wesleyan had five players in double figures, led by Ben Hunt who scored all of his 21 points in the second half while grabbing eight rebounds.

Nino Etienne turned in a double double with 15 points and 14 rebounds.  Brad Schilder’s 17 points were enough to overtake E.F. Parham for 14th on the Rams’ all-time scoring list with 1,081 career points.  Scott Reasoner added 15 points to go with nine boards, and Khayri McKinney scored 10 for the Rams.

“We have got a lot of guys who can score,” said head coach Terry Waldrop.  “It is just a matter of the right guys taking the right shots, and tonight we took the right shots.  I also thought our defensive effort was outstanding, particularly on Fredrico Payne.”  Payne, who came in averaging nearly 25 points per game finished with 11 for LSUS.

The Rams break for Christmas and return to the hardwood on December 30, when they travel to Oklahoma Christian University.  That game is scheduled to begin at 8:00 p.m. in Edmond, OK.