Three Lobos posted double figures including Larry Reese’s second straight double double 24 points and 11 rebounds. Travis Johnson and Abe Ely supplied 19 and 15 points respectively while Johnson added a team high 6 assists.
The Bulldogs knotted the game at 2 at the 14:45 mark in the first half. Sul Ross then took command the rest of the opening period but led by no more than 10 and went to the half with a slim 26-22 lead.
Texas Lutheran pulled within a point twice in the second half and took the lead for the first time of the evening, 50-49 with 4:39 left in regulation. A Travis Johnson layup put Sully back on top on the ensuing transition. The Bulldogs stole the lead again two possessions later and sported a 52-51 advantage at the 3:18 mark.
Abe Ely sank a 3-pointer as Sul Ross reclaimed the lead by a deuce 54-52 with 3:00 left in the contest. Both teams traded leads over the next three minutes which ended at a 58-58 tie.
The Lobos struck early in the overtime slot as Johnson connected on a midrange jumper to give Sully a 60-58 lead. TLU tied the game at 60 at the 3:53 mark. Sul Ross broke the knot and kept the margin tight as the Bulldogs pulled within a point trailing the Lobos 63-62 with 2:23 left. A pair of layups by Reese and Anthony Miller put Sully up by 5 with just under 1:20 left in OT. TLU’s Tyler Wanek pulled the Bulldogs within 3, 67-64 with 1:15 left on the clock. A foul by Texas Lutheran with 3 seconds left sent Reese to the free throw as he drained the foul shot to give the Lobos the 70-66 overtime victory.
Sul Ross improves to 5-7 on the year and 5-4 in ASC play and remains in fourth place in the ASC West Division standings, a game and a half in front of Texas Lutheran. The Lobos will continue their 3-game road swing with conference action on Saturday against Schreiner. The Lobos will then face Howard Payne Monday afternoon in Brownwood.
Newspaper Box Score Sul Ross State vs Texas Lutheran 01/11/06 7:30 p.m. at Seguin, Texas (Memorial Gymnasium) At Seguin, Texas (Memorial Gymnasium) SUL ROSS STATE 70, TEXAS LUTHERAN 66 SUL ROSS STATE (5-7 (5-4 ASC)) Larry Reese 9-14 6-10 24; Travis Johnson 7-15 3-5 19; Abraham Ely 5-9 3-4 15; Anthony Miller 3-6 0-2 7; Cornell Hunt 2-4 1-4 5; Filiberto Torres 0-0 0-0 0; Jesus Banuelos 0-0 0-0 0; Markus Reed 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-49 13-25 70. TEXAS LUTHERAN (4-9 (4-6 ASC)) J.C. Herebia 8-13 2-2 18; Brandon Hughes 5-7 5-5 15; Nate Walton 3-10 1-2 8; Tyler Wanek 4-5 0-0 8; Fielding Hickey 2-2 2-3 6; Josh Scott 2-8 0-3 4; J.C. Smith 1-5 1-2 3; Michael Hill 1-3 0-0 2; David Freeman 1-1 0-0 2; Kadin Kirk 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 27-58 11-17 66. Sul Ross State................ 26 32 12 - 70 Texas Lutheran................ 22 36 8 - 66 3-point goals--Sul Ross State 5-12 (Travis Johnson 2-5; Abraham Ely 2-4; Anthony Miller 1-2; Markus Reed 0-1), Texas Lutheran 1-10 (Nate Walton 1-7; Brandon Hughes 0-1; Josh Scott 0-2). Fouled out--Sul Ross State-None, Texas Lutheran-Josh Scott. Rebounds--Sul Ross State 23 (Larry Reese 11), Texas Lutheran 41 (J.C. Herebia 7). Assists--Sul Ross State 14 (Travis Johnson 6), Texas Lutheran 15 (Michael Hill 5). Total fouls--Sul Ross State 17, Texas Lutheran 21. Technical fouls--Sul Ross State-None, Texas Lutheran-None. A-400