HOUSTON – Despite trailing by 12 in the first half, the Houston Christian Huskies picked up an 81-70 win over the East Texas A&M University men's basketball team on Sunday afternoon at Sharp Gym.
 
The Lions lost their second game in a row and fall to 7-12 on the season as well as 2-7 in Southland Conference play. HCU moves to 3-1 at home over the Lions in the last four seasons and is now 6-12 on the season as well as 2-7 against Southland opponents.
 
The first seven points of the game were scored by the Lions, as the Huskies opened their scoring with a free throw at the 17:57 mark of the first. HCU went 10 for 18 at the line in the first half.
 
The Huskies got within two with 11 minutes left in the half, but the Lions answered with a three-pointer on the other end and the margin was not below two the rest of the half. A 10-2 run pushed the Lion lead to a game-high 12 with 4:43 left in the first.
 
HCU held East Texas A&M to just four points the rest of the half and closed the gap to trail 37-31 at the break.
 
To start the second half, HCU made its first three attempts from deep, while holding the Lions to just two points through the first 2:29 of the half to grab a 40-39 at the 17:54 mark. The first lead change of the game.
 
 After no lead changes or ties outside the opening tip in the first half, there were nine lead changes and two in the second, with neither side building a lead bigger than four until a 7-0 run by the Huskies to take a 65-59 lead at with 4:44 left. The Lions were held scoreless for four minutes and four seconds during the stretch.
 
The Huskies shot 59 percent from the field and 62 percent from deep in the second half, while going 10 for 12 at the line. The largest lead in the game for HCU was 13 points. Trent Johnson led HCU in scoring with 19 points off the bench.
 
For the Lions, they finished the game shooting 44 percent from the field and 37 percent from deep.
 
All but one Lion starter scored in double digits as Damian Garcia (Houston – Dobie) posted 19 points and five rebounds, Ronnie Harrison (Forney) added 18 points and six rebounds, Gianni Hunt (Lakewood, Calif.) dished out six assists along with 15 points and then Noah Pagotto (Wollongong, Australia) tallied 12 points and seven rebounds.

POST GAME INTERVIEW
 
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The trip down south continues Monday evening at UIW. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. in San Antonio.