Austin College Men Cruise to Road Win

CONWAY, Ark. – The Austin College men's basketball team surged in the second half to secure an 89-63 victory over Hendrix College on Friday night at Grove Gymnasium. The 'Roo offensive explosion was fueled by a 53-point second-half performance, allowing them to pull away down the stretch against the Warriors.

Kidus Getenet led the scoring effort for Austin College, pouring in a game-high 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting. Getenet was also active on the boards, leading the 'Roos with 10 rebounds. Tasshir Pina-Warren contributed 14 points, including three makes from beyond the arc, while Jamien June added 13 points and seven rebounds in the winning effort.

Following a slow start that saw Hendrix take an early 11-0 lead, the 'Roos battled back and took a 36-25 lead at the halftime break before really finding their rhythm in the final 20 minutes. Austin College shot 54.7% from the field for the game and capitalized on 14 Hendrix turnovers, converting them into 27 points. The 'Roos also dominated inside, outscoring Hendrix 44-20 in the paint.

Ethan Pearce provided a strong presence in the post with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, adding five rebounds and a pair of assists. Pearce led an Austin College bench that combined for 25 points, with Ryan Dupre also contributing nine points on 4-of-7 shooting. Defensively, Austin College limited Hendrix to 37.3% shooting and forced eight steals, including two apiece from Pina-Warren and Getenet. Holden Plant paced Hendrix with 13 points while adding six rebounds.

With the win, Austin College improves to 9-15 overall and 6-9 in conference play. The 'Roos will look to carry the momentum forward as they return to Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play on Saturday at Ozarks in the last regular season game of the year. With a win against the Eagles, the 'Roos would clinch the final spot in the conference tournament next week.