STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — Dior Johnson scored 32 points to lead Tarleton State to an 85-77 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Wisdom Gym.

In a game featuring two teams seeking their second win of the young season, the Texans used a dominant first-half offensive performance to build a lead that withstood a late push from the Islanders. Tarleton State improved to 1-2, while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi fell to 1-2.

Johnson, a guard from Kingston, New York, was efficient from the field, shooting 10 for 16, including 4 of 7 from three-point range, and added six rebounds. His backcourt mate, Kade Douglas from Lancaster, Texas, contributed 18 points, all of which came in the first half as the Texans raced out to a 47-28 lead at the break.

Freddy Hicks added 14 points and eight rebounds for the Texans, who shot 51.1% from the floor and a blistering 53.3% from beyond the arc. A significant advantage came at the free-throw line, where Tarleton State made 29 of 37 attempts compared to the Islanders’ 18 of 29.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was led by Sheldon Williams, who recorded a double-double with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Islanders mounted a strong second-half comeback, outscoring the Texans 49-38 after halftime, but could never close the gap completely.

The Texans’ interior defense was a key factor, blocking six shots, led by Andy Sigiscar of Orleans, France, who had four blocks to go with seven points and five rebounds. Tarleton State also capitalized on transition opportunities, outscoring the Islanders 19-12 in fastbreak points.

Despite committing one more turnover than the Islanders, the Texans were more effective with their possessions, posting an offensive rating of 122.2 compared to 105.8 for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

An announced crowd of 1,661 watched the game, which had a total score that went over the projected over/under line of 142. Interstat’s ELO system had given Tarleton State a 72.3% probability to win.

Both teams return to action Tuesday. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi travels to face Kansas, while Tarleton State hosts Merrimack.