WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Midwestern State (8-14, 6-9) fell to Texas A&M International (8-15, 5-10) with a final score of 82-77 on Thursday night at D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The Mustangs led 44-41 at halftime but were outscored in the second half, despite a strong bench contribution totaling 48 points.

Jordan Reed's three-pointer at 18:30 helped build an early lead for the Mustangs, but TAMIU responded with a 9-0 run, highlighted by Peyton Gusters' dunk at 16:24. MSU regained control as Davyon Butler's defensive efforts led to consecutive fast-break layups, pushing its lead to 20-12 with 12:30 remaining. Despite a late push by Texas A&M International including a three-pointer from Caylen Goff Brown with 37 seconds left, the Maroon & Gold finished the half ahead, 44-41.

In the second half, TAMIU gained momentum with a series of successful plays, including a layup by Luke Oxford at 18:34, giving it a 46-44 lead. The Mustangs responded with a three-pointer by Jonathan Jackson at 17:38, momentarily reclaiming the lead at 48-46. However, TAMIU mounted a strong offensive push, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Aaron Perez at the 1:08 mark, extending its lead to 75-68. Orlando Horton Jr. scored a late layup for MSU, but the Dustdevils held on for an 82-77 victory, outscoring the Mustangs 41-33 in the second half.

Midwestern State Top Performers

Davyon Butler  
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- 13 points  
- 3 blocks  
- 3 steals  

Orlando Horton, Jr.  
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- 14 points  
- 5/8 field goals made  
- 4 assists  

Charles McClennahan, Jr.  
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- 12 points  
- 5/9 field goals made  
- 1 block  

Terrance Ramirez  
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- 9 points  
- 2 steals  
- 2/2 three-pointers made

Looking ahead, MSU will face Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, Feb. 14. The game is set for 3 p.m. at D.L. Ligon Coliseum in Wichita Falls, Texas. Read Full Article