ODESSA, Texas (Interstat) — In a pivotal men’s junior college basketball clash, the Odessa Wranglers used a dominant second-half performance to overcome a halftime deficit and defeat the Howard (Texas) Hawks 65-59 on Thursday night.

The game’s decisive shift occurred after halftime. Howard, entering the contest with a 15-2 record, controlled the first half behind efficient play, taking a 59-56 lead into the break. The Hawks shot 50% from the floor in the opening half and capitalized on Odessa’s early mistakes.

The second half was a stark contrast. The Hawks’ offense collapsed, failing to score a single point over the final 20 minutes. Howard shot a frigid 0-for-21 from the field after halftime and committed 11 turnovers. Their only second-half points came from three free throws, resulting in a historic and game-defining scoring drought.

Odessa’s defense was the catalyst, but it was guard Ahmere Carson who sealed the victory. Carson, the game’s top star, scored 29 points, with 19 coming in the second half. His personal 8-0 run midway through the half, capped by consecutive 3-pointers, turned a narrow deficit into a lead the Wranglers would not relinquish. Carson added three steals, part of Odessa’s 13 for the game.

Howard was led by Kuai Deng’s 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Daniel Culberson’s 14 points. But the Hawks’ 23 total turnovers and 19-for-51 (37.3%) shooting for the game proved insurmountable. Despite winning the rebounding battle 40-31, including a 10-5 edge on the offensive glass, Howard’s offensive inefficiency, quantified by an offensive rating of 80.3 points per 100 possessions, doomed their chances.

Odessa, while not sharp from the free-throw line at 16-for-26, was more efficient from the field, shooting 22-for-46 (47.8%) and posting an offensive rating of 92.4. Qwes Williams supported Carson with 15 points for the Wranglers.

The victory improved Odessa’s season record to 14-4, while Howard fell to 15-3. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Big Spring on Feb. 23.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Odessa entered the game with a 50.60 percent probability to win.