RAMS WIN AT CLIFFORD CHRISTMAS CLASSIC
December 14, 2007

Box Score

FORT WORTH, TX:  The Texas Wesleyan University men’s basketball team (6-3) took a 79-72 win over Belhaven College (8-2) on day-one of the Clifford Christmas Classic at the Sid Richardson Center.

In the first game of the day, 5th ranked LSU-Shreveport (10-0) took a dominating 96-67 win over Southwestern Assemblies of God University (5-8).  Jamon Morris led the way for the Pilots with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

The Rams found themselves in a much closer battle.  After being held scoreless for the first four and half minutes, the Blazers came back to tie the game at 15 and led by as many as eight, 26-18.  Fred Eshon led the Rams back with three tree-pointers in the final minutes of the first half, and Texas Wesleyan trailed 37-34 at the break.

In the second half, a dunk from Dane Dmitrovic knotted the score at 38.  Belhaven still controlled the game until a three from Kennith Gober gave the Rams a 49-47 advantage.  That started a 14-3 run that gave the Rams their largest lead of the game at 60-50.

Belhaven cut the margin to two at 66-64 with just under five minutes to play, but another trey from Eshon padded the Rams’ lead.  After starting poorly at the line, Texas Wesleyan hit six of their final eight free throw attempts to win going away, 79-72.

For the game, the Rams out shot the Blazers 49%-41% and held a 41-37 rebounding advantage.  The Rams also hit 7-of-15 (47%) from long range.

Dane Dmitrovic turned in his second consecutive double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.  Eshon led the Rams with 20 points after hitting 5-of-6 three-point attempts.  Kennith Gober and Dalane Finley each added 19 points for Texas Wesleyan.  Belhaven’s Larell Bailey led all scorers with 25 points.

The Rams return to action in tomorrow’s tournament finale.  They will take on undefeated LSU-Shreveport at 7:30 p.m.  Belhaven will meet SAGU at 5:30 p.m.