STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive-minded contest defined more by free throws than fluid offense, the Texas-Arlington Mavericks held off a late charge from the Tarleton State Texans to secure a 65-60 victory in Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball on Thursday night at Wisdom Gym.

The game, played before a crowd of 2,143, was a battle of attrition that saw the Mavericks (16-13, 8-8 WAC) rely heavily on the foul line to maintain a narrow lead throughout the second half and complete a regular-season series sweep of the Texans (14-17, 6-10).

The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the final minute. With Texas-Arlington clinging to a 58-55 lead, Tarleton State’s Dior Johnson, who led all scorers with 28 points, was fouled on a 3-point attempt with six seconds remaining. He made the first two free throws to cut the deficit to one, but missed the third. The Mavericks’ Casmir Chavis secured the defensive rebound, was immediately fouled, and sank two clutch free throws with 2.2 seconds left to effectively seal the outcome.

Texas-Arlington’s path to victory was paved at the charity stripe. The Mavericks attempted 28 free throws, making 24, for an 85.7% clip. In contrast, Tarleton State struggled, converting only 19 of 31 attempts (61.3%). That 15-point disparity at the line proved decisive in a five-point game where both teams shot under 41% from the field.

The Mavericks built their lead with a methodical, if not aesthetically pleasing, offensive approach. They scored 65 points on just 58 possessions, an efficient offensive rating of 111.5, largely due to their success in drawing fouls. Chavis, a guard from Minneapolis, led UTA with 18 points, while Jordan Lowery of Denton added 16. Bahsil Laster provided a crucial spark off the bench with 11 points, all from the free throw line, where he was a perfect 11-for-11.

Tarleton State, which finished with an offensive rating of 95.7, was carried by the dynamic scoring of Johnson. The guard from Kingston, New York, was relentless, attacking the basket and earning 12 free throw attempts of his own. Beyond Johnson, the Texans found consistent offense hard to generate. Chris Mpaka contributed eight points and Jordan Mizell dished out four assists, but the team managed only three made 3-pointers on 11 attempts.

Defensively, both teams were active, each recording five steals. Texas-Arlington’s interior presence was more pronounced, blocking five shots compared to Tarleton State’s two, with Cameron Jackson and Laster each recording two rejections.

The game’s tempo was set early, with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm. Tarleton State took a brief 14-8 lead midway through the first half following a layup from Ocypher Owens. The Mavericks responded with a 15-6 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Lowery, to take a 23-20 lead they would not relinquish. UTA took a 29-28 advantage into halftime.

The second half saw Texas-Arlington extend its lead to as many as nine points, but Johnson repeatedly brought the Texans back within striking distance. His 3-pointer with 22 seconds left cut the UTA lead to 58-55, setting the stage for the tense final sequence.

With the win, Texas-Arlington improved to .500 in conference play and secured its second win over Tarleton State this season, having also won 71-64 in Arlington on Jan. 21. The loss was the fourth in the last five games for the Texans.

Texas-Arlington concludes its regular season on the road against Abilene Christian on Saturday. Tarleton State’s regular season is complete.