Final Stats (.pdf)

ABILENE – Four Angelo State players reached double figures, including Richard Thomas with a career-high 29 points, and the Rams shot a season-best 58.7 percent from the field en route to a 90-74 Lone Star Conference win over Abilene Christian at Moody Coliseum Monday night. The Rams also hit a season-high 11-of-20 attempts from beyond the three-point line.

Thomas, Joey Lenox (18), Steven Moore (15) and Trey Mays (10) all scored in double digits and contributed to a lights-out shooting effort – 27-of-46 – as the Rams (9-11, 5-3 LSC South) salvaged a split in the season series with the Wildcats (9-11, 1-7 LSC South). Thomas was 10-of-14 from the field and Lenox dropped in six shots from beyond the arc, including five three-pointers in the second half to spark the Rams. Lenox finished 6-of-8 from long range. LaDonn Huckaby pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds for ASU.

Angelo State wasn't immune to the Wildcats pressure defense which led to 28 turnovers by the Rams and was a large factor in the Wildcats' win in San Angelo Saturday. Unlike the previous meeting however, Angelo State had an answer on the offensive end with its strong shooting performance and converted 25-of-27 (92.6 percent) at the free throw line.

“We shot the ball great and made 11 threes, which is good, but we turned it over – we turned it over in droves,” Angelo State head coach Fred Rike said. “They do a good job in the press. One of the main differences for us tonight was our zone attack. We put in a new zone offense and we got open looks and knocked them down. It was great to see our guys making shots.”

The Rams shot 56.5 percent in the first half, but only led 36-32 at the break. That's when the Rams, and Lenox in particular, shifted a great shooting effort into a terrific shooting effort and eventually the win. Lenox nailed three three-pointers for ASU's first three baskets of the second half to push the lead into double figures, 45-34, just three minutes in. The Wildcats would never see a single-digit deficit for the remainder of the contest.

Angelo State pushed the advantage to 19 points on three different occasions in the second period, the most critical after a 9-0 run by ACU to trim the lead to 10 points with 3:01 to play in the game. Mays' 10 points is a new career-high.

Giordan Cole led the Wildcats with 17 points, while Dosh Simms added 13. ACU shot an identical 41.7 percent from the field in each half, but only managed to hit 5-of-20 (25 percent) from three-point range.

Angelo State returns to the Junell Center for a Lone Star Conference doubleheader against Texas A&M-Kingsville Wednesday night, with the women's game starting at 5:30 p.m. and the men's game to follow. Wednesday night is San Angelo Heroes Night, with all police, fire, EMS and other emergency management personnel receiving free admission with proper identification.

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