CANYON, Texas – The #20 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M closed out their homestand with a thrilling 84-81 Lone Star Conference victory over the #23 St. Mary's Rattlers in double overtime at the First United Bank Center in Canyon. It marks the first time since 2010 that WT has played in consecutive overtime contests.
 
West Texas A&M began the game energetically, quickly leveling the score at 3–3 following Brock Mishak's jumper. The team maintained pressure, converting from the free-throw line and showing resilience in the paint. TJ Brown's fastbreak 3-pointer trimmed the deficit to 7–6, keeping the game competitive in the early minutes.
 
Fontaine Williams played a pivotal role, contributing a trio of free throws to narrow the gap to 14–13. Williams continued to impact the game with a successful jumper, bringing the score to 20–19. As the half progressed, Williams spearheaded the offense with another jumper to bring the Buffs within one at 20–19.
 
Despite their efforts, the Buffs faced a late surge from St. Mary's, including a critical tip-in at the buzzer by Olaverr Camacho, concluding the first half with WT trailing 32–28.
 
WT opened the second half with a defensive stance, grabbing a series of rebounds that set the stage for a tightly contested half. The team capitalized on turnovers and fast-break opportunities, with Jailyn Sledge notably scoring off an assist from Mishak to narrow the gap early on.
 
Momentum shifted midway through the half as Zach Brown sunk a crucial 3-pointer, assisted by Mishak, propelling the Buffs into a narrow lead at 13:17. Despite St. Mary's efforts to regain control, Kemper Jones's layup at 6:35 kept the home team's offense steady.
 
In the closing minutes, Williams's free throws and Sledge's steady performance from the line ensured the teams remained neck-and-neck. The half concluded with a layup from Damani Claxton, resulting in a tied score, 61-61, at the end of regulation.
 
The Buffs opened the extra time with a defensive rebound by Mishak before Williams scored a layup at the 4:00 mark, bringing the score to 65–63. Despite a missed free throw, Williams secured an offensive rebound, maintaining possession. The extra time saw multiple lead changes, with St. Mary's Wayne Wiggins hitting a three-pointer to briefly take a 66–65 lead. Mishak responded by converting two free throws, swinging the lead back to the Buffs at 67–66.
 
In the closing seconds, after St. Mary's gained a slight edge at 70–67, Kemper Jones tied the game with a three-pointer, assisted by Mishak, at the 9-second mark. The first overtime ended with the teams locked at 70–70.
 
The Buffs initiated the second overtime with a layup from Sledge, assisted by Williams, bringing the score to 72–72. Brown's successful three-pointer at 2:17, followed by two critical free throws by Jones, shifted momentum to a 79–78 lead for WT. The team maintained defensive pressure and capitalized on fast break opportunities to extend their lead.
 
As the clock wound down, Sledge and Mishak each contributed crucial points, with Sledge hitting two free throws and Mishak making a layup at 0:42 to push the lead to 83–80. Jones added another free throw to secure the final score. The Buffs closed the game with a strong defensive stand, ending with an 84–81 victory.
 
Williams led with 22 points and added seven rebounds. Mishak contributed 19 points and tallied nine assists. Brown scored 12 points, including four 3-pointers. Sledge posted 12 points and recorded two blocks.
 
The Buffs hit the road for a Lone Star Conference showdown with the #6 Chaps of Lubbock Christian on Thursday night with tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. at the Rip Griffin Center.