Box Score | Game Book

LAS VEGAS - Tarleton State guard Ridell Camidge converted a three-point play on a contested layup and a foul with 4.8 seconds remaining to edge No. 12 Western Washington University 84-83 in an instant classic Monday evening in the final game of the South Point Holiday Hoops Classic played at Doolittle Community Center.

The game featured 25 lead changes and 9 tie scores in a match-up of perennial Division II powerhouses. The Vikings finished 0-2 in the tournament, dropping a pair of close games against top 20 teams, and are now 8-2 on the season. Tarleton State, which has advanced to the Elite 8 the last two seasons, improved to 11-1 on the season winning its eighth consecutive game. They entered the tournament ranked No. 15 in the NABC Division II Top 25.

The Vikings held a 5-point lead at 83-78 after a jump shot by Taylor Stafford (Chicago, IL/Evansville) with 1:32 remaining in the game. Camidge, a junior transfer from Charlotte, pulled the Texans to within two points with his sixth 3-pointer of the night with just over a minute remaining.

After WWU's extended possession ended on a missed 3-pointer by Trey Drechsel (Woodinville, WA/Cedar Park Christian) with 14 seconds remaining, Camidge broke free in the lane and made a contested layup where he was fouled by Trevor Jasinsky (Camas, WA). Camidge made the free throw to put TSU up 84-83 with 4 seconds remaining, and a last-second shot by Daulton Hommes (Lynden, WA/Lynden Christian) rimmed out for the one-point defeat for the Vikings.

Hommes led the Vikings with 20 points on 7-for-11 shooting, scoring all but 4 points in the second half. Jasinsky scored a career-high 17 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field (4-for-6 3-pointers). Seniors Jeffrey Parker (16 points) and Stafford (15 points) also reached double-digits in scoring.

Overall the Vikings shot 50.9% from the field (28-for-55) and were 12-for-27 from 3-point range. Tarleton held a 39-27 edge in rebounding (20-9 offensive) and had 25 second-chance points.

Camidge finished with a career-high 27 points, connecting on 10-of-17 shots and was 6-of-10 from 3-point range. Romond Jenkins added a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

WWU controlled the early part of the first half building a 10-point lead at 35-25 with just under 7 minutes remaining in the half. TSU then went on a 11-1 to tie the game at 36-36, but the Vikings held their ground to finish the half with a 3-point lead at 48-45. Jasinsky and Parker each scored 11 points to lead Western, while Camidge led all players with 16 points for the Texans (6-for-10). WWU shot a blistering 57.7% (15-for-26) in the half, including 7-for-14 from 3-point range. The Texans were not far behind shooting 48.6% from the field (17-for-35) and 5-for-11 (45.5%) from 3-point range. There were 12 lead changes and 6 tie scores in the first half alone.

The Vikings will take the week off for the holidays and return to Great Northwest Athletic Conference action on December 30 at Simon Fraser (Friday, 6 pm) and December 31 vs. Montana State Billings (Saturday, 2 pm).

Game Notes:Jeffrey Parker played in his 100th career game as a Viking...he now has 1,561 career points (15.6 ppg), remaining 7th in WWU history (6th place is Harold Doyal with 1,571 points)...Taylor Stafford has scored 138 points over his last 5 games (27.6 points/game)...WWU went 1-2 in the three-game stretch vs. top 20 teams (beat No. 19 UC San Diego, lost to No. 19 West Texas A&M, lost to No. 15 Tarleton State)...Daulton Hommes is shooting 59.6% from the field this season (56-for-94) with 56.1% accuracy from 3-point range (23-for-41).