No. 1 Tarleton State turns back Aggies, 80-60

GAME BOXSCORE >>

LAWTON, Okla. (Feb. 12) - Chad Crawford's bucket to start the second half pulled Cameron within nine, but top-ranked Tarleton State answered with a 36-19 run over the next nine mintues, running away from the Aggies 80-60 in Lone Star Conference North Division men's basketball action Thursday.

The win was the 14th straight victory for the Texans, while Cameron lost its 14th straight to fall to 5-18 overall and 0-8 in conference play. Tarleton State improved to 20-2 and 7-0.

Cameron will look to pick up its first win since Dec. 20, next Thursday, as the Aggies host East Central University in an LSC North matchup set to tipoff at 8 p.m.

Crawford led all players in the game with 21 points, including 15 in the second half. Marcus Girtmon was the only other Aggie in double-digits, posting 12 points. All five Tarleton State starters scored in double figures, led by Tim Burnette's 20.

Cameron took advantage of poor shooting by the Texans to grab the upper hand early in Thursday's contest. Coach Garrette Mantle's Aggies led by as many as four in the opening frame and had a 16-14 lead on Chris Cooksey's fast break bucket with 7:41 left in the first half.

But Tarleton State outscored the Aggies 18-5 the rest of the half to take a 32-21 halftime lead.

Crawford made it 32-23 as the second half began, but Tarleton State proved to be too much down the stretch. The Texans rebounded from their early shooting woes to convert 48.6 percent of their shots in the second half, including 7-of-13 from three-point range. Cameron tried to keep pace, using an 18-7 scoring advantage at the free throw line. But the Aggies committed 21 turnovers in the game and were outrebounded 43-30 by TSU.