STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — In a Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball game defined by contrasting styles and a frantic final minute, Tarleton State held off a late Southern Utah rally to secure a 78-74 victory on Thursday night at Wisdom Gym.

A crowd of 3,187 saw the Texans improve to 14-13 overall, while the Thunderbirds fell to 9-18.

The game’s decisive sequence unfolded in the closing seconds. With Tarleton State leading 76-74, Southern Utah’s Jaiden Feroah was fouled with 1:06 remaining but missed the first of two free throws. He made the second to cut the deficit to one point. On the ensuing possession, Tarleton State’s Andy Sigiscar was fouled and sank both free throws with 40 seconds left, pushing the lead back to 78-75.

Southern Utah had two chances to tie in the final 24 seconds. First, Elijah Duval missed a 3-pointer. After a Tarleton State turnover, the Thunderbirds secured one final possession with 8 seconds remaining. Dylan Jones’ potential game-tying 3-point attempt from the wing missed as time expired, sealing the Texans’ win.

The contest was a tale of two halves and two distinct offensive approaches. Tarleton State built its advantage by dominating inside, shooting 33 for 61 from the floor but making only 1 of 6 from 3-point range. Southern Utah stayed close almost exclusively through perimeter shooting and free throws, connecting on 11 of 21 from beyond the arc and 21 of 27 from the foul line, but making just 21 of 54 overall from the field.

Southern Utah’s Elijah Duval led all scorers with 23 points. Tanner Hayhurst added 11 points and four assists in a full 40 minutes of action. For Tarleton State, Andy Sigiscar was a force with 15 points and three blocks, while Chris Mpaka provided a crucial interior presence with 14 points off the bench.

Tarleton State controlled the first half, using a 12-2 run midway through the period to open a double-digit lead. The Texans took a 44-36 advantage into halftime, fueled by efficient paint scoring and capitalizing on 10 Southern Utah turnovers.

The Thunderbirds chipped away in the second half, primarily through Duval’s scoring and timely 3-pointers. A 3-pointer from Isaiah Cottrell with 3:50 remaining brought Southern Utah within 71-70, setting the stage for the tense finish. Tarleton State responded with key baskets from Sigiscar and Mpaka to maintain a narrow edge before the dramatic final minute.

Tarleton State’s defense, which recorded 10 steals and five blocks, proved critical in containing Southern Utah’s comeback attempts. The Texans also won the rebounding battle and committed three fewer turnovers.

The victory gave Tarleton State a 2-1 edge in the season series against the Thunderbirds, having split two prior meetings, including a 106-105 overtime loss in Cedar City on Jan. 15.

Southern Utah next travels to face Abilene Christian on Saturday. Tarleton State returns to action at home against Utah Tech on Saturday.