The WTAMU Buffalo basketball team welcomed the No. 5 ranked Tarleton State Texans to Canyon on Feb. 18. The Buffs prevailed in the important Lone Star Conference matchup 62-53.

WT jumped out to an early 6-0 lead four minutes into the game. TSU would battle back and tie the game at 13 all with 7:53 to go in the half. The two teams would go back and forth the remainder of the half, going into the locker rooms with the score tied at 25.

The Buffs set the tone early for the second half with a powerful dunk by senior Courtney Carr. WT would go on to build a 36-29 lead early in the half, however the Texans would take advantage of turnovers to tie it at 36.The action began to peak when Cameron Furst and Chris Harrell hit back-to-back three-pointers to put TSU up 48-40 with six and a half minutes left. The Buffs immediately retaliated with two three-pointers of their own by freshman Tez Dumars and junior Kennon Washington to take a 49-48 lead.

“You do have to give credit to our seniors and our team for not folding up the tent at 48-40,” Head Coach Rick Cooper said.

WT closed out the game on a 20-4 run that was put together by clutch free throw shooting and key misses by the Texans.

“We have a good offense, we know we can score the ball,” Washington said. “Our defense won the game at the end.”

Washington led the team with 22 points and had six rebounds on the night. Dumars and junior Donald Sims each finished with nine points.

“I thought [Washington] had one of his best games,” said Cooper.

The Buffs’ schedule doesn’t get any easier down the stretch as they host No. 7 ranked Midwestern on Feb. 22. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.