The Javelinas took on the Texans of Tarleton State Saturday afternoon in the Gil E. Steinke Physical Education Center (SPEC) for a Lonestar Conference matchup.
Saturday was throwback day and the Javelinas dawned all white throwback uniforms and became Texas A&I Javelinas once more.
TAMUK welcomed back alumni, previous coaches and players to come back and help root them on to a conference win. Throwback day was spoiled however, after the Javelinas lost 65-57 after a long hard-fought game.
The game started off well as the Javelinas took an early lead of 13-4 until Tarleton State crept back into the game.
The game remained even throughout but at the end the Javelinas could not capture the lead and the away team pushed their lead with some late free throws.
Tarleton State shot .714 from the free throw line, which helped them extend their lead near the end of the game.
Junior guard Rashon Thomas led the team in scoring with 12 points, and he was trailed closely by senior guard Jacolby Harris with 11 points.
Thomas and Harris both played hard the whole game each coming up with clutch threes to keep the Javelinas in the game. Harris also threw down an emphatic slam in the second half that really shifted the momentum of the game, but ultimately it wasn’t enough to hold off Tarleton State.
Tarleton State shot a whopping 50 percent from the field including beyond the arc.
Graduate assistant Deandre Miller said the team got off its game plan.
“We started out on our pace, the way we want to roll, the Javelina way, and then towards the second half we got away from that…,” Miller said. When asked about the next game Miller said, “We can’t think about the past… we have to keep moving forward to the next game.”
The team’s lack of rhythm was noticeable.
“The second half they just weren’t clicking they way they usually do, they missed a few some free throws that ended up hurting at the end of the game,” said Kenneth Hale, sports information student worker.
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