LeTourneau Pulls Away From 'Roos Late

LONGVIEW, Texas - Despite a double-digit scoring effort from four different players, Austin College could not overcome a second-half surge by LeTourneau University, falling 82-69 on Saturday at Solheim Arena. The 'Roos are now 5-14 overall and 2-8 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play with the loss.

The 'Roos stayed within striking distance throughout a competitive first half that saw the lead change hands twice. Austin College trailed 42-38 at halftime after Tasshir Pina-Warren drained a three-pointer in the closing minute of the period. The momentum briefly shifted in favor of the 'Roos early in the second half when Jamien June converted a layup to give Austin College a 51-50 lead with 15:30 remaining.

However, the YellowJackets responded with a decisive 12-0 run over the next five minutes. The scoring drought for the 'Roos finally ended when June hit a jumper at the 9:48 mark, but the deficit had grown to 11 points. Austin College was unable to pull back within single digits as LeTourneau utilized a 9-of-21 performance from beyond the three-point arc to maintain control.

Kidus Getenet led the way for Austin College, finishing with a team-high 19 points and five rebounds. June contributed 14 points and four assists, while Jordan Hudgins added 10 points and six boards. Pina-Warren also finished in double figures with 11 points. LeTourneau was paced by Jackson Mayes, who scored a game-high 20 points. Teigan Edwards recorded a double-double for the YellowJackets with 17 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out nine assists. Logan Brinkoeter also provided a spark for the home team with 15 points and nine boards.

The 'Roos struggled on the glass, losing the rebounding battle 36-23, which limited second-chance opportunities. While Austin College was aggressive on defense, forcing 20 turnovers and collecting 12 steals, they were hampered by 17 turnovers of their own that led to 27 LeTourneau points.