DANE DRAINS HALF COURT GAME WINNER
January 5, 2008

Box Score

TYLER, TX:  Dane Dmitrovic’s half court buzzer beater lifted the Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team (8-6, 2-0 RRAC) to a 65-62 Red River Athletic Conference win at Texas College (8-8, 2-1).

In the first half, the Steers shot 43% from the floor, but just 46% from the free throw line.  Neither team enjoyed a lead greater than seven points as the game saw four ties and four lead changes.  After a Texas College three with 24 seconds on the clock, Hector Mukweyi answered with a conventional three-point play with three seconds to go to send the Rams to the locker room trailing 33-29.

In the second half, the Steers opened a 10-point advantage by starting with an 8-2 run.  However, the Rams had a come back in them.  A three from Fred Eshon with 7:24 on the clock brought the Rams within a point at 53-52.

With just under four minutes to play, a jumper from Eshon knotted the game at 57.  In the final minutes, the game rolled through five lead changes.  With 34 seconds left, the Rams trailed 62-60, but Dmitrovic drew a foul and tied the game by hitting a pair at the line.

Texas College then took the ball down the court with a chance at the final shot, but Trey Manning’s three-point attempt missed its mark with seven seconds to play.  Dmitrovic corralled the rebound, got to half court, and banked in the game winner from mid-court.

Dmitrovic turned in a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.  Eshon led all scorers with 19 points.  Mukweyi added 12 points and nine boards while Aaron Scott was a spark from the Texas Wesleyan bench with 10 points.

The Rams shot 30% from the field, but 31% (8-of-26) from long range.  Texas Wesleyan out rebounded Texas College 49-42 and out shot the Steers 71%-54% at the free throw line.

Manning was the only Steer to reach double-figures in scoring with 12 points.