Rams topple North American (Texas) 71-56

AUSTIN – Huston-Tillotson University's men's basketball team gave head coach John A. Smith his first win as a collegiate head coach Saturday as the Rams defeated North American (Texas) 71-56.
 
At HT's Branch Gymnasium, Charles Hallmon turned in a double-double performance as he scored 14 points and secured 13 rebounds. He also tallied four steals in the game.
 
JahVante' O'Connor and Jackson Byas scored 10 points apiece for the Rams (1-6, 1-4 RRAC). Khuath Gatkuoth scored nine points for HT, while Keondre Newman chipped in eight points. Jayce Wright handed out seven assists for the Rams.
 
Jamarric Hammond, Oakley Lewis, and E.J. Wynn scored nine points apiece to lead the visiting Stallions (4-5), who fell to 1-4 in Red River Athletic Conference play.
 
The Rams ceded the game's first seven points to North American but gradually clawed their way back into the game as the first half progressed. HT outscored the Stallions 12-2 over the final four and a half minutes of the first half and took a 33-27 lead into halftime.
 
HT shot 43.3 percent (26 of 60) from the field during their game, a season-high percentage in home games. The Rams also shot 40 percent (8 of 20) from 3-point range, their best showing all season from behind the arc.
 
The home team continued to dazzle after halftime as the Rams shot 51.7 percent (15 of 29) in the second half, while draining five out of their nine 3-point attempts (55.6 percent).
 
The Rams used a run of seven unanswered points early in the second half to take a 42-30 lead with 17:12 remaining in the game. Another 12-2 run between the 14:39 and 8:48 marks of the half gave HT its biggest lead of the game at 58-39; the HT lead never dipped below 13 points for the remainder of the contest.
 
The win over North American was the first for the Rams at home in the five-game series. The Stallions swept the home-and-home series last season, their first in the Red River Athletic Conference.
 
Isaiah Halliburton and Malkeyce Harris scored six points apiece for the Rams. Both players were 2-of-4 from 3-point range.
 
NEXT UP
The Rams travel to Texas A&M–San Antonio on Tuesday, Dec. 3, for the team's first-ever matchup with the Jaguars. A&M–San Antonio's basketball teams debuted this season, less than four years after the school added varsity athletics. Tipoff for the men's game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

– HT –