Early second half run helps Texans win battle of top-5 teams

Odessa scored the first five points of the game, but trailing 11-5 less than four minutes into the contest Yanick Moreira - SPC's 6-10 big man - scored two in the paint. Moments later he tied the game with a jumper and then sophomore Greg Gainey scored five points to complete an 11-0 run that also included a pair of free throws by Devonte Smith, putting SPC up 16-11.

Things could have taken a turn for the worst when the Texans had to sit leading scorerMarshall Henderson and Moreira for much of the second half when they each picked up their second fouls. Gainey scored all nine of his points in the first half and the Texan bench came through to help send South Plains to the locker room with the score tied up at 33 apiece. 

Whatever Texan head Coach Steve Green said to his team at halftime must have provided a spark as the Texans opened up the second half with an 11-1 scoring run over the first four minutes in which Stanton Kidd scored 8 of his 12 points during that stretch.

After extending their lead to 12 twice, Odessa returned the favor and made a run of their own that eventually cut the Texan lead to only three with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. 

A hard drive and a make in the paint by Henderson were followed by a defensive stop and then a second chance effort by Kidd to put SPC back on top by seven. SPC's Smith then committed a foul on the other end, but the Texans were unharmed as Odessa's Brandon Williams missed both. Sophomore Malcolm Miller then stuck the dagger into the Wranglers hearts when he nailed a deep three that put SPC back up by 10 points with only 41-seconds remaining.

The Texans made 50-percent of their field goal attempts, while Odessa shot less than 34-percent from the field and made only 15-of-29 (.517) free throw attempts.

For the second consecutive game Moreira recorded four blocked shots while he and Stanton Kidd each scored 12 points apiece to lead SPC. Henderson and Miller each added 11.Devonte Smith once again played the entire the game and had another steady day with nine points, nine rebounds, and six assists.

South Plains College is off to their best start since beginning the 2007-08 season winning their first 16 games. Interestingly enough, the team that kept them from winning No. 17 were the Odessa College Wranglers. 

South Plains College (17-0, 2-0) will be on the road for both of their game next week, traveling to Borger Monday, January 23 where they will face the Frank Phillips College Plainsmen (8-10, 0-2) and then to Hobbs, N.M. Thursday, January 26 for a matchup with the New Mexico Junior College T-Birds (14-4, 2-0). The Plainsmen were defeated by Western Texas College (13-5, 1-1) Thursday evening, while the T-Birds knocked off Midland 72-68.

Odessa (16-2, 1-1)
Jaamon Echols 1-7 0-0 2, Derrick Barden 6-16 7-9 20, Jalondre McClanahan 1-7 0-0 2, Deonnte Breedlove 3-5 0-0 7, Kewyn Blain 3-10 4-8 10, Brandon Williams 0-2 0-2 0, Damal Donaldson 2-4 3-6 7, Javontay Baynes 0-0 0-0 0, Matthew Hunter 5-13 1-4 12, Daniel Hield 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-64 15-29 60

South Plains (17-0, 2-0)
Deshaunt Walker 1-2 0-0 2, Yanick Moreira 5-11 2-2 12, Derrell Edwards 1-2 3-5 5,Devonte Smith 3-5 3-5 9, Stanton Kidd 5-7 2-5 12, Marshall Henderson 4-11 2-2 11, Tymell Murphy 0-2 0-0 0, Greg Gainey 4-5 1-1 9, Malcolm Miller 5-11 0-0 11, Darius Harris 0-0 0-0 0, Anthony Walker 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-56 13-20 71
SCORE BY PERIODS 1st 2nd TOTAL
Odessa 33 29 62
South Plains 33 38 71

FG%: Odessa .338, South Plains .500. 3-pt FG:Odessa 3-14 (Echols 0-3, Barden 1-4, McClanahan 0-1, Breedlove 1-3, Blain 0-1, Hunter 1-2), South Plains 2-11 (Walker 0-1, Edwards 0-1, Smith 0-1, Henderson 1-3, Miller 1-5). Rebounds: Odessa 36 (Barden 7, Hunter 7), South Plains 45 (Moreira 9, Smith 9). Fouls Odessa 17, South Plains 23. Fouled out: none. Technical: WALKER, HENDERSON. Assists: Odessa 4 (Hunter 2), South Plains 11 (Smith 6). Steals: Odessa 8 (Breedlove 3, Hunter 3), South Plains 5 (Kidd 3). Blocked shots: Odessa 2 (McClanahan 1, Hunter 1), South Plains 9 (Moreira 4). Turnovers: Odessa 11, South Plains 17. Attendance: 0.