The YellowJackets (3-4, 2-4) trailed the Lobos, 36-31 at halftime, but came out of the break with a quick 11-2 run keyed by six points from freshman center Dusty Evers. The good feeling would be short lived as the Lobos put together their own 18-2 run to take a 12-point lead with 12:44 left in the game.
The Jackets continued to battle and closed the game to four points after a Travis Bankett lay-up with 3:50 remaining. The Lobos responded again. This time it was senior ASC-West Division Preseason Player of the Year Sidney Hooper hitting a jumper and then nailing a three-pointer in the next two possessions for Sul Ross. LeTourneau was unable to mount a last ditch comeback effort and the Lobos finished the game off by making 7-of-8 free throws in the last few minutes.
LeTourneau was led by Evers’ 16 points and freshman guard Dewones Smith’s 14 points and five rebounds, but it was inopportune turnovers and missed free throws that did the team in. With the game still within reach in the second half, the team missed the front end of three one-and-one’s and committed 15 second half turnovers.
Senior forward Reese Lantrip had his best game of the season scoring 12 points and pulling down a team-high seven rebounds off the bench. The Jackets made 28-of-60 shots from the floor, good for 46.7 percent and pulled down two more rebounds than the Lobos, 37-35.
Hooper poured in 20 second half points for the Lobos en route to a game-high 27 points. He also grabbed six rebounds, picked up four steals and dished off three assists. Arturo Escobar, Matt Santa Cruz and Abraham Ely each scored in double figures with 14, 13 and 12 points, respectively. Jesus Banuelos led all players with eight rebounds off the bench. The Lobos hit on 48.5 percent of their shots and made 13 of 18 foul shots.
The YellowJackets do not play again until December 30 at 7 o’clock at NCAA Division I foe, Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.
Sul Ross Lobos vs LeTourneau University 12/10/05 3:15 at Longview, TX - Solheim Arena At Longview, TX - Solheim Arena SUL ROSS LOBOS 87, LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY 70 SUL ROSS LOBOS (3-4, 3-3) Sidney Hooper 10-22 4-5 27; Arturo Escobar 4-11 6-7 14; Matt Santa Cruz 5-7 1-2 13; Abraham Ely 4-9 2-2 12; Aaron Hardwick 4-9 0-2 9; Jesus Banuelos 3-3 0-0 6; Jermaine Packer 2-5 0-0 4; Art Gonzalez 1-1 0-0 2; Ronnie Bell 0-1 0-0 0; Cornell Hunt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-68 13-18 87. LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY (3-4, 2-4) Dusty Evers 6-13 4-5 16; Dewones Smith 5-12 2-3 14; Reese Lantrip 6-8 0-2 12; Jay Burnett 4-7 0-0 9; Joe Packard 2-4 2-2 6; Casey Sitton 1-5 1-2 3; Marcus Coleman 1-2 0-0 3; Jonathan Painter 1-1 0-0 2; Jacob Butler 1-2 0-0 2; Travis Bankett 1-3 0-0 2; James Williams 0-0 1-2 1; Barry Thomas 0-3 0-0 0; Hal Hawkins 0-0 0-0 0; Jeff Mason 0-0 0-0 0; Cal Balmos 0-0 0-0 0; Martin Fontenot 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-60 10-16 70. Sul Ross Lobos................ 36 51 - 87 LeTourneau University......... 31 39 - 70 3-point goals-Sul Ross Lobos 8-20 (Sidney Hooper 3-10; Abraham Ely 2-3; Matt Santa Cruz 2-3; Aaron Hardwick 1-3; Arturo Escobar 0-1), LeTourneau University 4-13 (Dewones Smith 2-4; Jay Burnett 1-3; Marcus Coleman 1-1; Casey Sitton 0-1; Travis Bankett 0-1; Barry Thomas 0-1; Reese Lantrip 0-1; Dusty Evers 0-1). Fouled out--Sul Ross Lobos-Jesus Banuelos, LeTourneau University-None. Rebounds-Sul Ross Lobos 35 (Jesus Banuelos 8), LeTourneau University 37 (Reese Lantrip 7). Assists-Sul Ross Lobos 14 (Matt Santa Cruz 4), LeTourneau University 18 (Travis Bankett 4). Total fouls-Sul Ross Lobos 19, LeTourneau University 16. A-200