Jan. 17, 2004

Final Stats

ABILENE, Texas - Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball team withstood a furious Concordia-Austin rally and hung on to win 81-79 to move to 3-0 in American Southwest Conference West Division action, Saturday afternoon at the Mabee Complex in Abilene.

Zach Pickelman's 3-pointer gave the Cowboys their largest lead at 55-40 with 14:25 to play in the game. The Tornados slowly dwindled the Cowboy lead to nothing when Alberto Alonzo hit a pair of free throws to give C-A a 68-67 lead with 5:19 to go in the contest.

The game went back and forth the rest of the contest and was tied at 76 all with 1:06 to play. That is when Pickelman, a freshman from New Braunfels, decided to take over the game. He rebounded a Carl Thompson miss and hit a follow shot in the lane and was fouled to give the Cowboys a 78-76 lead with :36 to play.

On the ensuing possession, Pickelman played great defense on Darren Johnson in the paint forced a wild shot and then got the rebound and was fouled. He drained both free throws. On Concordia's next possession he grabbed another rebound. HSU split another pair of free throws to make it 81-76 and Jeffrey Allen hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to set-up the final margin.

The win was the fifth of the year for the Cowboys, matching their total from a year ago. They also have won three in a row to start conference play for the first time since 1993-94. HSU is 5-9, 3-0 and Concordia-Austin fell to 7-7, 0-3.

HSU was led by Pickelman's 19 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Tanner Kudrna had 16 and senior Carl Thompson added 13 and Dathan Jones had 10. George Freeman led the Tornados with 18 of five players in double figures.

The Cowboys return to action Thursday at Sul Ross State with sole possession of first place in the ASC West on the line.