SEATTLE – A hot-shooting Tarleton Texans team could not be slowed Saturday afternoon as Seattle University men's basketball fell for the first time this season in the Redhawk Center, 82-77.
Tarleton (17-7, 10-3 WAC) shot 46% from the field and was a blistering 11-of-18 from three against the Redhawks, who entered the game as one of the top defensive three-point percentage teams in the nation.
Seattle U (14-10, 7-6 WAC) and the Texans were dead even in total field goals (27 each) and free throws (17 each), but were outshot by five from beyond the arc for the five-point final.
The Redhawks were paced by Alex Schumacher's 23 points. Brandton Chatfield had 16 and John Christofilis added 14.
Jakorie Smith had 24 of the Texan's 38 first-half points, hitting 8-of-12 from the field, including 5-of-7 from three. He finished the night with 26 points to lead five Texans in double figures.
Trailing 38-31 at the break, Seattle U looked to be turning the tide, using an 8-0 run to knot the score at 46-46 with 14:18 to play. But Tarleton responded with an 8-0 run of its own during a sequence that included back-to-back Redhawk turnovers.
Seattle U cut it to a single possession twice in the final minute, but the Texans knocked down their free throws to seal the game.
The Redhawks earned a 37-29 advantage on the boards, but 12 turnovers turned to 21 points for Tarleton. Seattle U managed just nine points off the Texans' eight giveaways.
Seven games remain on the regular season slate, beginning next week with a trip to Utah where the Redhawks will face Southern Utah in Cedar City on Thursday and Utah Tech in St. George on Saturday.
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