CEDAR CITY, Utah (Interstat) — In a defensive struggle defined by missed opportunities and critical late-game execution, the Tarleton State Texans edged the Southern Utah Thunderbirds 62-59 in a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday night at Centrum Arena.

The victory avenged a heartbreaking overtime loss for the Texans against the same opponent just three weeks prior and pushed Tarleton State back to an even 12-12 overall record. Southern Utah fell to 8-16.

The game’s decisive sequence unfolded in the final chaotic minute. Trailing 57-54, Southern Utah’s Elijah Duval found Jaiden Feroah for a clutch 3-pointer from the wing, tying the game with just 37 seconds remaining and sending the sparse crowd of 853 into a frenzy.

On the ensuing possession, Tarleton State’s Kade Douglas was stripped by Dylan Jones, giving the Thunderbirds a chance to hold for a final shot. After a timeout, Southern Utah worked the ball to Cale Barclay, whose 3-point attempt from the left corner missed long. Tanner Hayhurst secured the offensive rebound but missed a hurried put-back. He grabbed his own miss again and kicked to Lorenzo Abellar, whose second-chance 3-pointer also rimmed out. Dylan Jones collected that rebound as well, but Hayhurst’s third 3-point attempt of the possession as time expired hit off the mark, sealing the Texans’ narrow escape.

The frantic finish capped a game where neither team could sustain offensive rhythm. Tarleton State finished shooting 44.6% from the field, while Southern Utah managed just 36.1%. Both teams were plagued by turnovers, with Southern Utah committing 19 and Tarleton State 16. The Texans offset a significant 14-7 disadvantage in offensive rebounds by forcing those miscues and converting just enough down the stretch.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes. Southern Utah took a slim 34-33 advantage into halftime, powered by 10 points from Duval. The Thunderbirds extended their lead to five points early in the second half, but a 7-0 Texans run, capped by a Kade Douglas 3-pointer, gave Tarleton State a lead it would not relinquish, though it was never safe.

Duval led all scorers with 18 points and added seven assists for Southern Utah, but his eight turnovers proved costly. Feroah contributed 15 points and Hayhurst added 11 for the Thunderbirds.

Tarleton State’s attack was more balanced. Andy Sigiscar, a 6-foot-9 forward from Orleans, France, provided a crucial interior presence with 14 points, two blocks and two steals. Camron McDowell of Griffin, Georgia, also scored 14, while DJ Dormu of Washington, D.C., chipped in 13. The Texans’ defense held Southern Utah to just 25 points in the second half on 8-of-30 shooting.

The win marks a significant bounce-back for Tarleton State, which had lost three of its last four games, including a one-point defeat at California Baptist on Thursday. For Southern Utah, it was another in a series of near-misses in conference play, falling to 3-5 in games decided by five points or fewer this season.

According to pregame analytics from Interstat’s ELO system, Southern Utah was projected as a narrow favorite with a 50.30 percent probability to win.

Tarleton State continues its road swing at Abilene Christian on Feb. 14. Southern Utah returns home to host California Baptist on Feb. 12. The two teams will meet again in Stephenville, Texas, on Feb. 19.