Area men's basketball: HBU, TSU stay perfect in conferences

BEAUMONT - Josh Ibarra had 18 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, and Anthony Odunsi scored 19 points as Houston Baptist defeated Lamar 92-79 on Saturday for its eighth consecutive victory.

Colter Lasher added 15 points and eight rebounds to help the Huskies (12-7, 7-0 Southland) stay atop the conference standings. Reveal Chukwujekwu scored 12 points, and Asa Cantwell added 11.

HBU never trailed after the midpoint of the first half, and Lasher made two 3-pointers a minute apart to stretch the Huskies' lead to 74-61 with 6:35 left.

The Cardinals (10-9, 2-5) closed within 76-71 with 3:51 left but missed three consecutive shots from close range while HBU stretched its lead to 83-72.

Texas Southern 75Mississippi Valley St. 60

Derrick Griffin scored 16 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, and the Tigers pulled away in the second half to beat the Delta Devils at H&PE Arena for their sixth win in a row.

David Blanks added 15 points for Texas Southern (7-11, 6-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference).

Rice 87Middle Tennessee 73

Giddy Potts hit six 3-pointers and finished with 27 points as the Blue Raiders cruised past the Owls at Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Max Guercy led Rice (6-14, 1-6 Conference USA) with 20 points.

Stephen F. Austin 76Sam Houston St. 64

Clide Geffrard had a career-high 22 points to lead the Lumberjacks by the Bearkats at Nacogdoches.

Geffrard, who made seven of 10 field goals, had 19 points in the first half. Demetrious Floyd added 17 for Stephen F. Austin (13-5, 6-0 Southland Conference), which beat Sam Houston State for the 13th consecutive time.

Aurimas Majauskas scored 23 points for the Bearkats (10-10, 5-2).

Arkansas-Pine Bluff 45 Prairie View A&M 44

Ghiavonni Robinson scored 11 points, and Charles Jackson hit the game-winning free throw as the Golden Lions handed the host Panthers their fourth loss in a row.

Tevin Bellinger put Prairie View (1-17, 1-5 Southwestern Athletic Conference) on top 42-41 with a jumper with 1:33 left. Robinson tied it at 42 with a free throw, and then JoVaughn Love fouled Bellinger, who made two free throws with 10 seconds left.

Jackson tied it at 44 with a jumper, and then the PV bench was called for a technical foul. Jackson made one of two free throws.

Bellinger missed a potential game-winning layup with one second left.

West Virginia 80Texas Tech 76

Tarik Phillip scored the Mountaineers' final eight points, and No. 6 West Virginia ended the game on a 10-2 run to rally past the Red Raiders (12-6, 2-5 Big 12) at Lubbock.

Iowa St. 73, TCU 60

Monte Morris had 18 points and six assists as the No. 19 Cyclones beat the Horned Frogs (9-10, 1-6 Big 12) at Fort Worth.

Langston 76St. Thomas 64

Craig Grigsby scored 14 points but couldn't keep the Celts (8-8, 5-5 Red River Athletic Conference) from falling to the Lions at the Jerabeck Activity and Athletic Center.

From Web and wire reports