Box Score Box Score

THE RUNDOWN
KINGSVILLE, Texas – The St. Edward's men's basketball team made another strong statement about its 2017-18 season with an 85-83 road win over No. 23-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday at the Steinke Center. For the second time this season, the Hilltoppers defeated the ranked Javelinas (9-2) and improved to 10-2 on the season behind five players scoring in double figures.

Dorian Lopez collected his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 boards. Landon Goesling scored 16, Sean Phillips added 15 on five 3-point field goals, CORY MCKENDREE scored 14 and JAMES TAYLOR scored 10 off the bench.

The Hilltoppers never trailed in the game as quick starts have been the trend all season. SEU has led all 12 games this season at halftime by an average of 11.8 points, and Saturday the Hilltoppers' 41-32 halftime lead helped hold off the Javelinas late push to protect their home floor.

TAMK came out firing in the second half, and the Javelinas' Robert Stevenson's tip in, cut lead to 51-50 with 12:48 remaining. However, SEU answered with a 9-0 run to build the lead back to 10. Matthew Peterson's layup with 6:55 remaining helped the Hilltoppers build their largest lead of the second half at 71-59. From there, the Javelinas chipped away at the lead, but the closest the home team would get would be two points with 3:23 remaining.

While SEU shot only 40.4 percent from the floor, the Hilltoppers earned a season-high 43 trips to the free-throw line and hit a season-high 32 to help take the advantage.

SEU is 3-3 vs. ranked opponents since head coach Andre Cook took over in 2009-10, and the Hilltoppers face ranked opponents in three of their next four contests. TAMK also fell to SEU Dec. 2 in Austin, 89-71 when the Javelinas were ranked No. 20.

HIGHLIGHTS
• SEU is 3-3 vs. ranked opponents under head coach Andre Cook since the 2009-10 season.
• Cook coached his 400th game as a collegiate head coach Saturday and has 246 wins.
• The Hilltoppers hit a season-high 32 free throws on a season-high 43 attempts Saturday.
• Dorian Lopez tallied his fifth double-double of the season, collecting 12 points and 11 boards Saturday.
• Lopez has 10 games this season with double-figure scoring (24th in his career), and has five games this season (8th in career) with double-digit rebounds.
• SEAN WATKINS took over 8th all-time on the SEU career list for steals with two Saturday. His second steal, career steal No. 108 passed Cyrus Russell (107, 2001-04) for eighth all-time.
• Watkins moved to 7th all-time on the SEU career list for assists with five Saturday. His fifth assist was career no. 236, which passed ZILIJAN JONES (235, 2010-13) for seventh all-time.
• Watkins hit the 100th free throw of his career with his second free throw made Saturday vs. TAMK.
• Sean Phillips had 15 points and hit five 3-point field goals for the second-straight game. Phillips has scored in double figures six times this season.
• CORY MCKENDREE's eighth of 14 points Saturday gave him 350 career points. He shot 6-of-9 from the field, and it marked the junior's fifth time this season to score in double figures and 11th of his career.
• Landon Goesling scored 16 points and had four assists in Saturday's win. He has scored in double figures in all 12 games this season and 20 times in his career.
• JAMES TAYLOR's 10 points was highlighted by a 6-for-6 performance at the free-throw line; Taylor has nine games with double-digit scoring this season and 34 in his career.

STAT OF THE GAME I
11 – In 11 of SEU's 12 games this season, the Hilltoppers have committed fewer turnovers than its opponent. Saturday, the Hilltoppers had just 11 turnovers compared to TAMK's 17, and SEU turned the Javelinas' turnovers into 22 points.

THEY SAID IT
SEU head coach Andre Cook on knocking off the nationally-ranked Javelinas for the second time …
"What a great road win, really pumped for our guys. We had a lot of things go wrong at the end, but we persevered. Truly a team effort. Our reward is another ranked Lone Star team on Tuesday."

Cook on the team's ability to start strong this season …
"Our guys really lock into the scouting report. Preparation is a huge part of our early success. I think that allows us to gain an early advantage."

WHAT'S NEXT
No. 10-ranked UT-Permian Basin awaits the Hilltoppers Tuesday in Austin as the Hilltoppers take on the former Heartland Conference foe at 4 p.m.