SAN ANGELO, Texas – The Angelo State men's basketball team dropped back to .500 in conference play following a loss to Texas A&M International early this evening at Stephens Arena in the Junell Center.
The Rams move to 16-8 overall and 6-6 in the Lone Star Conference, while the Dustdevils improve to 12-10 on the season and 4-7 in conference play.
Both sides struggled from the field, ASU would shoot 36 percent, while TAMIU shot 34 percent. The Dustdevils shot 95 percent from the free throw line, going 21-of-22, opposed to the Rams 65 percent (11-of-17).
The Rams would outrebound the Dustdevils 44 to 35 on the afternoon, while also having the advantage in the paint, outscoring the Dustdevils by 10, 34-24. Dante Moses led the way for the Rams with a double-double, 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Both teams struggled to score early on in the contest, Moses opened the Rams account with four straight points. A Devaughn Thomas layup put the Rams ahead seven at the 13:54 minute mark, their largest lead of the game.
The Dustdevils would respond to Tyrell Carroll making two layups with a 12-0 run to surge ahead 18-15 with 6:27 remaining in the half. Six more points by Moses down the stretch and a Thomas layup would take the Rams to the half, trailing by just two.
Thomas would end with nine point and six boards on the evening. Lathaniel Bastian would be the only other Ram to join Moses in double figures, ending with 13 points to go along with eight rebounds.
The teams would battle back and forth in the first half of the second frame, two free throws from Thomas would bring the game level, 33-33 with 12:05 remaining. TAMUI would separate themselves from the Rams following that point, scoring 15 of the next 19 points in the game to move ahead by 12 at the 5:50 mark, their largest lead on the evening.
A three-point play by Bastian would pull the Rams back within five points with just under four to go, but that would prove to be the closest the Rams would get to taking back the lead.
The Rams are back in action next week on the road, beginning with a visit to UAFS on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m.
