SHERMAN, Texas – Texas Lutheran shot 54.3% from the field and 46.7% from long range and used a big second half to pull away from the Austin College men's basketball team, handing the 'Roos an 84-69 loss on Friday night in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 6-11 overall and 2-4 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
After a slow start for the 'Roos, with TLU grabbing an early 8-5 lead following a Jordan Kouremetis three with 15:55 on the clock, Austin College used a 10-1 run capped off by a deep three from Andres Rivera to go ahead 15-9 with 12:28 remaining in the opening half. Kouremetis and Shawn Hamilton buried treys for TLU as the Bulldogs went back ahead 18-16, but back-to-back triples from Josh Dickerman and Josh Quinn gave the 'Roos a 24-21 edge with 7:37 on the clock.
An Austin Freet free throw made it 29-27, but TLU would score six unanswered to take the lead back before a three from Jeremy Swisher and a bucket by Justin Wade put Austin College back on top 34-33. However, the Bulldogs would score the final six points of the half to head into the locker room leading 39-34.
JP Feider scored to cut it to a three-point margin to open the second half but Texas Lutheran scored the next six points to take a 45-36 lead with 18:18 left to play. The margin grew to 12 at 54-42 on another Kouremetis three pointer with 14:40 remaining. TLU pushed the deficit to 62-46 before three quick points from Brian Baehl trimmed it to a 13 point game, but a basket by Sterling Holmes gave TLU a 68-53 cushion with 9:08 left.
Austin Wells knocked down a pair of free throws and drained a three to bring Austin College to within 10 points at 68-58 with 6:34 to play but that's as close as the 'Roos would get, with another three by Kouremetis pushing the TLU lead to 78-60 with under four minutes remaining. The Bulldogs added six free throws down the stretch to ice the game and hand Austin College the 84-69 defeat.
Wells, Quinn, and Dickerman each scored nine points to pace Austin College offensively as the 'Roos hit just 33.8% of their field goal attempts, including just 6-of-21 three pointers. Freet added seven points, five rebounds, and five assists in the loss.
Kouremetis hit 4-of-6 from long range on his way to a game-high 23 points, while Zach Behr scored 13 points and pulled down five rebounds for the Bulldogs.
Austin College athletic teams participate as a member of the NCAA Division III and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.