Box Score
SAN ANTONIO — Christmas might be around the corner, but Rogers State wasn't in the giving mood Saturday.
The Hillcats ended St. Mary's Men's Basketball's eight-game win streak and dealt the Rattlers their first home loss of the season in a 77-73 triumph at Bill Greehey Arena.
Robinson Odoch Opong scored 22 and Damien Hooks added 20 as the Hillcats (6-4, 2-1 in Heartland Conference) gave St. Mary's (8-2, 1-1 in Heartland Conference) its first home loss in seven games.
Justin Alexander and
Ryan Thomas scored 12 apiece for the Rattlers, while
Marvin Whitt added 10 on a day their offense never got unhooked.
Most glaringly, St. Mary's struggled at the free-throw line, connecting on just 11 of 24 attempts. Rogers State, meanwhile, hit 18 of 23 attempts.
The loss came two days after the Rattlers upended previously nationally ranked and the Heartland Conference's preseason No. 1-ranked Arkansas-Fort Smith.
St. Mary's held a three-point lead late in the first half but trailed by two, 37-35, at the break. But Rogers State came out of halftime on fire, twice pushing its lead to 10 down the stretch.
In his second game as a Rattler, sharp-shooter
Kameron Pearce scored seven points off the bench, including two late 3-pointers as the Rattlers tried to claw their way back into contention.
St. Mary's will be back in action Thursday, Jan. 2, when it travels to play Lubbock Christian in Lubbock, Texas.
