SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College men's basketball team picked up its first win of the season on Monday evening, holding off visiting Hendrix College for a 64-62 victory in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 1-3 overall on the year.
The 'Roos used a balanced scoring attack with nine different players putting points on the board, paced by 12 from Price Bradley, to earn the win despite trailing by as many as nine points and being outscored 19-7 from the free throw line in the game. Both teams shot 37.5% from the field and Hendrix hit nearly 39% from long range, compared to 29% for Austin College, but the 'Roos owned a 26-7 edge in bench points and forced the Warriors into 16 turnovers, converting those extra possessions into 15 points, and out-rebounded Hendrix 39-36 with 15 of their boards coming off of the offensive glass.
Austin College managed just five points in the first nine minutes of the game and the Warriors led 21-13 with eight minutes left in the opening half, and Hendrix would take its largest lead of the contest at 26-17 with just over five minutes left before halftime. The 'Roos started to chip away at the margin with a three from Bradley and baskets by Nate Williams and Tristan Dick to cut it to 26-24, and Jamien June's three and another bucket by Dick sent Austin College into the locker room leading 29-28.
The second half was back and forth throughout, but Hendrix went on top 53-46 on a three from Daniel Cobb with just under seven minutes left to play. Bradley buried another trey and Dick finished an alley-oop from Kidus Getenet to cut it to 53-51 with 5:35 on the clock, and Williams evened things up with a short jumper a minute later. Austin College took the lead back on a bucket by Bradley, and Getenet hit a triple to push it to a 58-54 lead at the 2:37 mark. The Warriors pulled within one at 60-59 before Getenet knocked down another three to make it 63-59 with 41 seconds left to play, and after Caleb Squires drilled a three to pull the Warriors to within one at 63-62, Bradley made one of two free throws with four seconds left and Hendrix was unable to get a shot off in the closing moments.
Bradley added five rebounds and four assists to his team-best scoring output, and Getenet and Dick each chipped in 11 points. Getenet added four rebounds and four assists, and Dick pitched in five boards and three assists in the victory. Tyler Deithloff led all scorers with 22 points for the Warriors. Austin College is back in action on Tuesday, hosting Howard Payne at 6:00 p.m.