#6 RAMS KNOCK OFF #7 PILOTS, 72-58
November 17, 2006

Box Score

WAXAHACHIE, TX:  Two of the NAIA’s heavyweights squared off tonight in SAGU’s Pepsi Classic.  The sixth ranked Texas Wesleyan University Rams (5-1) topped the seventh ranked LSU-Shreveport Pilots (4-1), 72-58 in the Full Life Center.

The Rams came out very slowly, but outstanding defense held LSU-Shreveport to their lowest offensive output since a 61-56 defeat at John Brown University in March of 2005.

On Friday, LSUS jumped ahead 14-7.  The margin remained seven points at 20-13 ten minutes in when Texas Wesleyan finally came to life.  Two minutes later, CJ Higginbotham was fouled on a three-point attempt.  After burying all three free throws, the Rams trailed by just two, 22-20.

Josh Porter scored the Pilot’s next six points to give LSUS a 28-22 lead.  Nino Etienne then scored four straight to spark a 10-0 Texas Wesleyan run that put the Rams ahead.

Texas Wesleyan pushed their lead to 34-31, but LSUS’s Freddy Hughes hit a pair of free throws, got a steal, and beat the buzzer with a layup to send his team to the locker room with a 35-34 advantage.

Although the Rams did not shoot well in the first half,15-of-18 at the free throw line kept them alive.  After shooting just 34% in the first half, Texas Wesleyan started hot in the second half.  The Rams jumped ahead 52-48, and led by as many as 21 (65-44) with just under six minutes to play.

Texas Wesleyan dominated the boards taking a 52-31 advantage.  They were led by Nino Etienne and Evan Patterson who both finished with double-doubles.  Etienne led all scorers with 22 points to go with 10 rebounds.  Patterson finished with 11 points and 10 boards.  Kelvin Williams added 17 points and seven rebounds for the Rams.

LSUS was led by Josh Porter’s 18 points.  Freddy Hughes finished with 14 for the Pilots.

“It’s always great when you get two legitimate top-10 teams together,” commented Texas Wesleyan head coach Terry Waldrop.  “Nino [Etienne] had a breakout game.  He was huge tonight.  Kelvin Williams also played with a lot of intensity and a lot of fire.  I thought our guys rose to the level of the competition.  They went out and got a big win tonight.”

Because of a forfeiture by Galilee College, the Rams improved to 5-1 on the season.  LSUS fell to 4-1.