Balanced Attack Sends the Buffs to Sunday's Regional Semifinals, 78-56
CANYON, Texas – West Texas A&M finished Saturday's South Central Regional Quarterfinals with six players in double-figures highlighted by 15 points from LSC Player of the Year
Julius Brown as the Buffs punched their ticket to the semifinal round with a 78-56 victory over the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas at the First United Bank Center in Canyon.
The Leaders
Brown led WT with 15 points as the senior guard went 6-of-14 from the floor including 3-of-6 from behind the arc to go along with two rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
Zach Toussaint chipped in 14 points as he connected four times from deep followed by
Damion Thornton (12),
Addison Wallace (12),
Larry Wise (10) and
Ryland Holt (10).
How It Happened
The Javelina open the game on a 13-8 run before the Buffs found their rhythm on the offensive end of the floor, hitting four straight shot attempts including long balls by Holt and Thornton for the 18-15 lead. WT would continue their run after a media timeout as a Holt second chance putback sparked a 13-5 run to end the first half as the Buffs took a 38-22 lead into the locker room.
The second half saw the teams trade buckets to start the period as the Javelinas would cut the lead to 45-32 before another Buffalo run sparked by a three-point play by Wise as WT extended the score to 60-39. The remainder of the second half saw the lead hover around 20 for the Buffaloes as an
Ahamed Mohammed fast break layup with less than a minute remaining closed out the 78-56 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- WT leads the all-time series against the Javelinas, 57-26 as the Buffs have won the last six meetings.
- Tom Brown is now 14-3 against Texas A&M-Kingsville with two of those wins coming in the NCAA Tournament
- The Buffs went 15-of-34 (44.1%) from behind the arc on Saturday while the Javelinas were just 1-of-9 (11.1%)
- WT led for a total of 29:46 during the game, Kingsville's last lead came with 10:03 left in the first half.
- The Buffs finished the game going 28-of-63 (44.4%) from the floor including 7-of-11 (63.6%) from the free throw line with 41 rebounds, 16 assists, 11 turnovers, one block and seven steals.
- TAMUK went 21-of-61 (34.4%) from the field including 13-of-19 (68.4%) from the free throw line with 38 rebounds, three assists, 11 turnovers, three blocks and two steals.
Up Next
The Buffs advance to Sunday night's South Central Regional Semifinals as they will take on Lone Star Conference foe Angelo State with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. at the First United Bank Center in Canyon.
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