Tarleton State Upends RiverHawks

STEPHENVILLE, Texas --- Tarleton State dominated Northeastern State in the second half leading by as many as 19 points in rolling to a 61-47 Lone Star Conference crossover victory Thursday night at Wisdom Gym.

The loss dropped the RiverHawks to 2-3 for the year and 0-1 in LSC crossover play, while the Texans are now 5-1 overall and 1-1 in LSC crossover play.

It was the eighth consecutive Tarleton State win over the RiverHawks and the Texans are now 10-7 in the series.

Jason Jones was the only RiverHawk in double-figure scoring with 19 points, as he canned 5-of-8 treys and pulled down 8 rebounds. Northeastern State's leading scorer on the season Marlon Burnett, who entered with a 19-point scoring average, was held to just five points.

Devon Hills led the Texans' scoring with 19 points, which included 9 at the free throw line. Effran Bryant and Jeremiah Wilson followed with 11 points each.

The RiverHawks were 16-of-45 from the field for a 36 percent shooting night and finished 8-of-23 from behind the arc for 35 percent. NSU was 7-of-15 from the line and committed 15 turnovers.

The Texans shot 21-of-48 for 44 percent and 6-of-11 on treys for 55 percent. The Texans were 13-of-17 at the line and had just 7 turnovers.

Tarleton State held a 28-20 lead at the intermission as the RiverHawks held the lead just twice in the game, 3-2 and the last at the 14:15 mark in the first half 8-6 on  Scott Draughon's trey.

In the opening minutes of the second half Tarleton increased its lead to 11 points, before Burnett and Jones brought NSU back to within five points 33-28 with 15:49 remaining. That was the closest the RiverHawks came the rest of the way as the Texans stretched its lead to 19 points, 58-39 with 3:38 remaining.