#1 Texans take down Monroe 80-74 Friday in Idaho

TWIN FALLS, ID — Issac Taveras went off with 25 points and 21 boards Friday as the top-ranked South Plains College men's basketball team ousted Monroe College 80-74 in the semifinal round of the Title One Invitational, hosted by the College of Southern Idaho.

The Texans advance to the tournament finals, where they will face #23 Eastern Florida State at 6 p.m. CST on Saturday.

"I challenged our team to sit down and guard and rebound today," South Plains head coach Hayden Sowers said. "I wasn't worried about anything else but guarding and rebounding and we checked both boxes. We played a tough game Thursday, so I knew our offense would be sluggish. But if you are instilled with toughness that will travel anywhere you play."

Taveras, a transfer from Fresno State, connected on 10 of 14 attempts from the field over 35 minutes. Jalen Ricks finished with 16 points and four boards, while Arterio Morris totaled 15 points, three rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes. The Texans shot a 35.6 percent clip from the floor and held Monroe to a 32 percent clip from the field.

"I love our depth, as every one of our guys dressed in a uniform tomorrow night needs to be ready to play," Sowers said. "I hope our fans tune in tomorrow night with a championship on the line to support these kids because they deserve it."