CLAREMORE, Okla. – A balanced scoring attack led the Rogers State men's basketball team to its sixth-consecutive win, 91-71, over visiting Texas-Permian Basin Saturday afternoon at the Claremore Expo Center moving into a five-way tie atop the Heartland Conference standings.
 
Five players scored in double figures for the Hillcats led by J.C. Hartzler and DesJuan Newton's 19-point performances. Jeylyn Sharpe added 15 points and Deran Banton tallied 12 while Frederico Santos posted his sixth-straight double-double with 14 points and 16 rebounds, one shy of his own RSU single-game record.
 
In a first half featuring big scoring streaks, the Falcons opened the game with a 9-4 advantage before the Hillcats picked up the intensity and shut down the UTPB attack going on an 11-0 run. RSU held the Falcons scoreless for nearly seven minutes during the stretch.
 
The Hillcats' margin slipped to two points as UTPB fought back with seven-straight points but Sharpe drained a triple from the wing as RSU closed the opening frame on a 12-4 run.
 
Hartzler knocked down a trey from the right corner with 26 seconds remaining and Newton came up with a steal in the final seconds where Corey Ayala was able to find a streaking Sharpe for a buzzer-beating layup sending the Hillcats to the locker room leading, 33-23.
 
The advantage was pushed to 18 points at the mid-point of the second half as RSU got the crowd to its feet with a 6-0 run highlighted by Sharpe's offensive rebound and put back. The Hillcats never let the Falcons back into the game holding at least a double-digit lead the rest of the way.
 
Tanner Gregurich hit a pair of free throws in the final minute as the lead got as high as 23 points and RSU closed for the 20-point victory winning for the ninth time in 10 home games this season.
 
Chris Griffin led UTPB with 17 points and nine rebounds as three players reached double figures for the Falcons.
 
Rogers State (14-6, 8-4 HC) is back on the road Thursday traveling to San Antonio, Texas Feb. 5 facing St. Mary's looking for redemption from a double-overtime loss earlier this season. The game can be found live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live and on the airwaves on RSU Radio 91.3FM.