STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — Abilene Christian built a large early lead and held off a late Tarleton State rally for an 84-80 victory in a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at Wisdom Gym. The Wildcats led 46-38 at halftime and by as many as 18 points in the first half before the Texans chipped away. Tarleton State’s Dior Johnson scored a game-high 33 points, but Abilene Christian’s Bradyn Hubbard answered with 22 points. The Texans closed to within two points late, but clutch free throws by Rich Smith, who had 16 points, sealed the win for the Wildcats. Abilene Christian improved to 10-6 overall. Tarleton State fell to 11-6. Attendance was 1,567.

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — In a Western Athletic Conference clash defined by contrasting styles and a relentless individual performance, Abilene Christian weathered a furious second-half rally from Tarleton State to escape Wisdom Gym with an 84-80 victory on Thursday night. The game pivoted on a critical sequence in the final minute. With Abilene Christian clinging to a 78-76 lead, Tarleton State’s Dior Johnson, who had carried the Texans’ offense all night, drove for a potential tying layup with 38 seconds left. The attempt was off the mark, and Abilene Christian’s 7-foot center Cade Hornecker secured the defensive rebound, a pivotal play for a Wildcats team that had been outscored 46-32 in the paint. Fouled immediately, Abilene Christian’s Rich Smith stepped to the line with 28 seconds remaining. He made the first free throw but missed the second. However, the Wildcats’ senior guard from the Bronx, New York, instantly atoned for the miss. He stole the ensuing inbounds pass from Tarleton State’s Freddy Hicks, was fouled again, and calmly sank two more free throws to push the lead to 81-76, effectively sealing the outcome. The final margin was built at the foul line in the closing seconds, as Smith and his teammates capitalized on Tarleton State’s desperation fouls. The Wildcats, despite being outscored 24-12 off turnovers and 22-7 in fastbreak points, made enough critical plays in the half-court down the stretch to secure the road win. Abilene Christian established control early with efficient offense, shooting 55.8 percent from the floor in the first half and taking a 46-38 lead into the break. Bradyn Hubbard, a 6-foot-7 forward from Tulsa, Oklahoma, led the first-half charge and finished with 22 points. The Wildcats’ offensive balance was key, with Smith adding 16 points and Hornecker and Zy Wright each contributing 12. Tarleton State’s comeback was engineered almost single-handedly by Johnson. The 6-foot-3 guard from Kingston, New York, attacked the rim relentlessly, scoring 33 points. He went 11-for-12 from the free throw line, part of a remarkable 27-of-29 team performance at the stripe for the Texans. Kade Douglas added 13 points for the home team, while Chris Mpaka provided interior energy with 11 points and two blocks. The Texans’ pressure defense, which generated 12 steals, fueled their second-half surge. They whittled away at the deficit, tying the game at 66 on a pair of Camron McDowell free throws with 6:10 to play and staying within one possession for the final seven minutes. But they could never seize the lead, hampered by a 1-for-6 shooting night from three-point range and key empty possessions in the final minute. Abilene Christian’s ability to limit Tarleton State to one shot on the crucial final defensive stand, and Smith’s heads-up steal after his own missed free throw, represented the game’s decisive plays. The Wildcats improved to 10-6 overall, while Tarleton State fell to 11-6. The two in-state WAC rivals are scheduled to meet again in Stephenville on Jan. 24 and in Abilene on Feb. 14. The game, played before a crowd of 1,567, defied pregame projections. National Statistical’s ELO system had given Tarleton State a 68.9 percent probability to win, and the combined score of 164 points sailed over the betting over/under line of 139.5.

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — A Western Athletic Conference showdown featuring two of the league’s top scorers is set for Thursday when the Tarleton State Texans host the Abilene Christian Wildcats at Wisdom Gym. The Texans (11-5) enter with the better overall record, but the Wildcats (9-6) are coming off an emphatic 85-68 home victory over Utah Valley last Saturday. Tarleton State edged California Baptist 81-76 in overtime the same day. The matchup will be headlined by a high-scoring backcourt duel. Tarleton State’s Dior Johnson is on a torrid streak, averaging 35 points per game in his last two outings, including a 34-point performance in the win over Cal Baptist. His explosive scoring ability has been a catalyst for the Texans’ offense. Abilene Christian will counter with guard Bradyn Hubbard, who is coming off a dominant all-around performance. In the win over Utah Valley, Hubbard posted 22 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. His consistency will be key for the Wildcats, who have shown resilience after a tough non-conference stretch that included losses to Arizona and BYU. Tarleton State has been strong at home this season and boasts a more potent offense, but Abilene Christian’s defensive pressure can disrupt opponents. The Wildcats will need to contain Johnson while finding ways to score against a Texans defense that has held its last five opponents under 78 points. This game is the first of two regular-season meetings between the in-state WAC rivals. They will meet again in Abilene on Feb. 14. Thursday’s contest tips off a critical early conference stretch for both teams as they jockey for position in the WAC standings.