Aggies outlast TAMUK in overtime thriller

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KINGSVILLE, Texas (Jan. 6) - Eric Moore took advantage of his first appearance in the Aggie starting lineup on Thursday, scoring a team-high 21 points and hitting a pair of key free throws in the final seconds of a 103-100 overtime victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Moore was one of five Cameron players in double-figures, as the Aggies improved to 10-2 despite playing much of the game without their head coach. Aggie skipper Garrette Mantle was ejected from Thursday's contest with 6:02 remaining in the first half, leaving first-year assistant coach Maury Leitzke holding the reins the rest of the way.

Cameron converted just nine first-half field goals and trailed by nine at 32-23 when Mantle was hit with two quick technical fouls and ejected from the game. Double technicals also were issued in the final minute of the first period, as Cameron's Marcus Girtmon and Texas A&M-Kingsville's Richard Gonzalez were both charged after Girtmon's foul sent the Javelinas' Eddie Lopez to the line.

Lopez made both free throws and TAMUK cashed in on the ensuing possession with a jumper by Quendale Allensworth to put the Javelinas in control leading 48-34 at intermission.

The Javelina lead remained in double figures until the Aggies launched a 17-4 run early in the second half to climb back into contention. Cameron connected on 7-of-8 shot attempts during the surge before Chris Booth's three-pointer at the 11:22 mark gave the Aggies their first lead at 63-62. The Aggies extended their lead behind the strength of a 70.8 percent shooting effort in the second half, forging a 79-68 advantage with 4:22 remaining on the clock.

But three-pointers by Gonzalez and Allensworth got the Javelinas back in the game. Lopez then canned a trey with 32 seconds left, pulling TAMUK to within one at 84-83. After Mike Wallace converted a pair of free throws for the Aggies, Lopez missed a trey, got his own rebound and drilled the follow-up to tie the score just before the end of regulation.

In the extra frame, the Aggies trailed by two before a five-point swing gave Cameron the lead for good. Girtmon sank a three-point attempt and collected the rebound on the Javelina's next attempt before Wallace found Arthur Trousdell in the paint for a jumper that put the Aggies up 96-93.

Texas A&M-Kingsville answered with a Gonzalez layup, but Wallace delivered Cameron's ninth three-pointer of the game with 1:01 remaining in the overtime period to make it 99-95. The Aggies converted 4-of-6 from the line after that, including a pair of charity tosses by Moore with 12 seconds left, to hold on for the win.