AVALON, Miss. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half defensive performance propelled the Tarleton State Texans to an 88-64 victory over the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils in a non-conference men’s basketball game Tuesday night at the LeFlore County Civic Center.

The Texans, improving to 8-4, turned a narrow three-point halftime lead into a lopsided affair by holding the Delta Devils to just 24 points after the break. Mississippi Valley State, which shot 40 percent from the floor in the first half, was stifled into a series of turnovers and contested shots as Tarleton State pulled away.

The game’s pivotal stretch came early in the second half. Leading 43-40, the Texans opened the final period with a 17-4 run over the first seven minutes. The surge was fueled by stifling defense that generated multiple Delta Devil turnovers, which Tarleton State converted into easy transition baskets. Mississippi Valley State managed just one field goal during the span, a layup from Patrick Punch, as their offense ground to a halt against increased defensive pressure.

Dior Johnson, a guard from Kingston, New York, led all scorers with 27 points for Tarleton State. He added four assists and was instrumental in breaking down the Delta Devil defense, particularly during the decisive second-half run. His backcourt mate, Camron McDowell of Griffin, Georgia, provided 26 points, with 18 coming in the second half to help seal the victory.

Mississippi Valley State (1-10) was led by Michael James of Byhalia, Mississippi, who also scored 27 points. James was the lone consistent offensive threat for the Delta Devils, especially in the first half where he kept the home team within striking distance. Patrick Punch added 15 points for Mississippi Valley State.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring 10 lead changes. The Delta Devils, energized by James’ scoring and a strong defensive presence from Lamont Sams, who blocked three shots, built several small leads. Tarleton State struggled with ball security early, committing nine turnovers in the opening period. A late flurry by the Delta Devils, capped by a three-point play from Punch in the final seconds, cut the Texans’ lead to 43-40 at halftime.

Any momentum for the home team vanished after the break. Tarleton State tightened its defense, forcing 11 second-half turnovers and limiting Mississippi Valley State to 29 percent shooting from the floor. The Texans also found their rhythm offensively, shooting 52 percent in the second half and assisting on 11 of their 17 made field goals.

Kaia Isaac, a guard from Christchurch, New Zealand, facilitated the Texans’ offense with a team-high six assists. Leroy Kelly added four assists and five points for Tarleton State.

For Mississippi Valley State, Sams finished with eight points, three blocks and two assists, while Chance Sutton contributed six points and a block.

The game was played in front of an announced crowd of 102. Tarleton State will look to continue its momentum when it hosts Florida A&M on Friday. Mississippi Valley State faces a difficult road test at Florida State, also on Friday.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Tarleton State entered the game with a 98.5 percent probability to win. The combined score of 152 points fell under the betting over/under line of 146.5.