Austin College Holds Off Ozarks

SHERMAN, Texas - Tasshir Pina-Warren scored a game-high 25 points, and Jamien June recorded a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds as Austin College defeated the University of the Ozarks 79-71 on Thursday night iin Hughey Gym. Austin College improves to 5-12 overall and 2-6 in Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference play with the victory.

Pina-Warren connected on 6-of-13 attempts from beyond the arc for the 'Roos, fueling an offense that hit 13 treys on the night. June added five assists to his stat line, while going 7-for-8 from the free-throw line to help seal the victory. DJ Miller led the Eagles with 22 points and five rebounds. Tyce Gentry added 13 points off the bench, including four three-pointers, and Dylan Archey contributed 12 points and six assists.

The game was a back-and-forth affair in the first half, featuring two ties and three lead changes. Ozarks took a narrow 36-35 lead into halftime after Archey hit a three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining in the period. Austin College surged ahead early in the second half. Clinging to a 42-40 lead with under 16 minutes to play, the 'Roos went on a decisive 12-2 run over a two-minute span. Pina-Warren was instrumental during the stretch, hitting back-to-back triples at the 15:37 and 15:07 marks, followed by another three at 13:48 that extended the Austin College lead to 54-42.

The 'Roos stretched their advantage to as many as 16 points when June buried a three-pointer with 9:28 remaining to make it 64-48. The Eagles mounted a late rally behind perimeter shooting from Gentry and Miller, using a 22-7 run to trim the lead to 71-70 with 1:09 remaining. However, Pina-Warren finished a tough bucket in the lane to make it 73-70 with 39 seconds left, and Kidus Getenet, June, and Jacob Jackson combined to go 6-of-6 from the stripe in the closing moments to seal the team's second win in a row.

Austin College shot 44.6% from the field and 84.2% (16-of-19) from the free-throw line. Ozarks shot 42.6% from the floor but struggled at the stripe, converting just 5-of-12 attempts. Jordan Hudgins chipped in defensively for Austin College with six rebounds, two steals, and a block, and Jackson finished with 10 points off the bench. Peyton Gonzales added nine points in the win for the 'Roos.