Aggies go 2-1 at Angelo State Tipoff Tournament

     SAN ANGELO, Texas (Nov. 23) - A poor effort at the free throw line on Sunday put a damper on what otherwise was a solid effort by the Cameron men's basketball team as the Aggies opened the 2003-04 campaign in the Wells Fargo/Clarion Inn Tipoff Tournament on the campus of Angelo State.
     Coach Garrette Mantle's Aggies notched convincing victories over Howard Payne and Hillsdale Baptist before hitting just 14-of-29 free-throw attempts in a four-point loss to Angelo State.
     Cameron made just five field goals in the first half of Sunday's 65-61 loss to Angelo State. The Aggies also converted just seven of 14 free-throw attemps in the period and trailed the Rams 35-21 at the break.
     The Aggies rallied in the second half and closed to within one at 59-58 on a layup by junior Marcus Girtmon with 30 second to play. Jeremy Amos, who led all scorers in the game with 16 points, added a late three-pointer, but Angelo State converted all 10 of its free throw attempts in the final three minutes to hang on for the win.
     Girtmon added 11 points for the Aggies, but ASU had five players in double-digits, led by DaShawn Davis' 13.
     Sunday's loss was preceded by a pair of solid Aggie wins. Cameron turned back Howard Payne 88-70 in Friday's season opener, then blasted Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College 82-44.
     Senior Chad Crawford led the Aggie charge against Howard Payne, posting a game-high 25 points to go with 10 rebounds. Crawford added three assists and three steals while shooting 9-of-15 from the field and 7-of-10 from the line.
     The Aggies roared to a 55-15 halftime lead against Hillsdale on Saturday. Girtmon led all scorers with 20 points, while Cameron newcomer Mike Wallace added 16. Amos had 11 points and Crawford added 10, as all 11 Cameron players who saw action in the game scored at least two points. The Aggie defense limited Hillsdale to just 14 total field goals in the contest and a team field goal percentage of 28 percent, leaving the team without a double-digit scorer.
     Cameron will look to improve on its 2-1 record in the season home-opener on Tuesday against Southwestern Christian University. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m., at Cameron's Aggie Gym. The game has been designated as Coaches vs. Cancer Night, with all gate receipts going to benefit the American Cancer Society.
     Cameron is also at home later this week in the annual PowerAde Classic, hosting Sterling (Kan.) College in a Saturday, Nov. 29, game slated for an 8 p.m., tipoff.