Texans Fend Off NMMI

ROSWELL, N.M. - The South Plains College Texans improved their overall record to 13-7 and climbed to 3-3 in the Western Junior College Athletic Conference with their 75-70 victory over the New Mexico Military Institute Broncos (8-12, 1-5) Saturday afternoon.

In a game where the whistle was blown due to a total 46 fouls and the two teams combined for 65 free throw attempts, the Texans could not quite find the momentum to completely put the Broncos away.

After returning from the locker room with a 37-31 lead, the Texans allowed NMMI to get within a single point with only 10 minutes remaining. In response, SPC rebuilt a nine point lead over the next few minutes and maintained it until 1:51 was left on the clock, at which point the Broncos went on a 5-1 run to pull within four points with 42 ticks remaining.

Down 70-66, the Broncos were forced to foul and send Texan players to the free throw line, a place SPC made only 27-of-45 for the game. Fortunately the player NMMI chose to send to the line twice down the stretch was sophomore Bo Ingram who sank all four to seal the victory.

Leading SPC in scoring for the second consecutive game was sophomore Khaliq Gross who finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Tramar Sutherland added 13 points and pulled down a game high eight rebounds, while Ingram and freshman Kenny Brown chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Texans will enjoy a short break before hosting New Mexico Junior College on Monday at the Texan Dome. NMJC was 15-6 overall and 2-3 in WJCAC play heading into Saturdays rescheduled game with Frank Phillips College.

The Texans and Thunderbirds are scheduled to tip at 7:45 p.m.