Riddle Catches Fire To Fuel Cowboys By Texas Lutheran

Boxscore

ABILENE, Texas -- Hardin-Simmons’ men’s basketball team broke its seven-game losing streak with a 86-81 win over Texas Lutheran in American Southwest Conference action at the Mabee Complex on Saturday.

The Cowboys trailed for much of the second half, but took over down the stretch, outscoring Texas Lutheran 19-9 over the last 5:27 of the game.

After Jonathan Hutton hit a 3-pointer to make it 72-65, HSU’s Casey Riddle took over the game. He hit a pair of free throws at the 5:01 mark, hit a lay-up to make it 72-69 with 4:53 to play. Issac Williams then hit a lay-up for Texas Lutheran and riddle hit a conventional 3-point play to make the score 74-72 with 3:25 to play.

Tyler Wanek hit a lay-up for TLU with 3:02 to play to make it 76-72. Riddle then hit a pair of pull-up jumpers sandwiched by two Malcolm Dotson free throws for TLU. The second shot by Riddle made it 78-76 Texas Lutheran with 1:54 to play.

With 1:16 to play Riddle hit another pull-up in the lane to tie the game at 78 with 1:16 to play. HSU then got another stop and Riddle this time found Steven Wesley for a lay-up and foul Wesley made the free throw to give HSU a 81-78 lead with :59 to play. Tyler Wanek came back with a 3-point play to tie the game with :47 to play.

HSU then called time out with :17 to play and four seconds to go on the shot clock. HSU inbounded the ball to Wesley who gave it right back to Carlos Singer and Singer buried the go-ahead 3-pointer from the right wing. HSU fouled on purpose and TLU missed three free throws in the finals 10 seconds after getting a second chance on a turnover. Steven Wesley then tried to ice the game with :03 to play but missed both free throws but Riddle got the offensive board and lay-up to seal the game.

Riddle scored 15 of his career-best 17 points in the final 5:01 including 13 in a row for the Cowboys in a stretch of 3:43.

HSU had five players in double figures and two more with eight or more points. Terrence Willis had 11 points, Wesley had 11, Singer had 10, Mark Schlott had 10 and Kenny Chapman had nine. Rian Stubbs had eight points and nine rebounds.

Hutton had 21 points to pace TLU off the bench. He hit 16-of-20 free throws in the game. TLU hit 26-of-35 attempts and the Cowboys hit 17-of-22. TLU had a 21-5 free throw advantage in the first half to help them take a 43-39 halftime lead.

HSU is now 4-10 on the year and 3-7 in ASC play. Texas Lutheran fell to 2-11 overall and 2-8 in league play. The Cowboys host Howard Payne at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.