EDINBURG – Watara Banks tied his season high with 19 points, leading the University of Texas-Pan American to a 68-60 win over Centenary College in men’s basketball action Saturday night at the UTPA Fieldhouse.

Banks, a sophomore from Chicago, Ill., hit on 4-of-11 shots from the field, but made all 10 of his free throw attempts and dished out a team-high six assists.  Brian Merriweather was held to 13 points, but made three three-point baskets, helping to keep the Gentlemen at a distance.  Ed Dotson was the only Gent to score in double figures with 21 points.  Ronnie McCollum, who is second in the nation in scoring was held to just eight points.

After a back-and-forth first half, which saw the five lead changes and six ties, the Broncs took control in the second period.  UTPA went on a 16-6 run early in the second half to go up 54-45.  The Gents responded with a 7-0 run to cut the lead to just two points at 54-52.  But a pair of free throws by Banks and a lay-up by Kwasinda Curtis put the lead at six and the Gents never got with four points again.

As a team the Broncs shot 84.2% (16-19) from the free throw line, compared with 52.9% (9-17) for the Gents.  Banks’ 10-for-10 performance was the best by a Bronc from the free throw line this season and tied for the fifth best performance in school history.

UTPA improved to 11-15 on the season, while Centenary finished up the 1999-2000 campaign with a 10-18 record.  UTPA’s 11 wins this season equals it’s total from the last three years combined and is the best mark since a 14-14 record during the 1994-95 season.  The Broncs will play their season finale on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. against Washington State in the UTPA Fieldhouse.

Centenary College Gentlemen at UT-Pan American Broncs
UTPA Fieldhouse, Edinburg, Texas
February 26, 2000

Centenary Gentlemen (10-18)

No. Name                   FG  FGA  3FG 3FGA  FT  FTA  OF DE TOT  PF  TP  A   TO BLK S  MIN
03  Ed Dotson, f           10  19   0   0     1   3    3  4  7    1   21  3   1  0   1  38
14  Thomas Foster, f       1   2    0   1     0   0    0  0  0    1   2   1   1  0   0  22
34  Srdjan Lalic, c        3   5    0   0     0   0    3  5  8    3   6   0   1  0   0  22
11  Warren Harris, c       1   4    0   2     1   2    0  2  2    2   3   3   3  0   0  31
32  Ronnie McCollum, g     3   13   1   6     1   3    1  0  1    2   8   0   0  0   1  36
05  Shohn Williams         2   3    0   0     1   4    2  3  5    4   5   0   1  0   2  11
20  Miroslav Ilic          1   4    1   3     2   2    0  1  1    0   5   0   1  0   0  14
22  Marcus Drewry          2   3    1   1     0   0    1  1  2    2   5   1   6  0   0  13
33  Rubeen Perry           1   1    0   0     1   1    0  0  0    0   3   0   0  0   0  1
42  Olufemi Odukoya        0   0    0   0     0   0    1  2  3    1   0   0   2  0   1  7
44  Brian Rabenhorst       0   1    0   0     2   2    1  1  2    1   2   1   0  0   0  6 
    Team                                               2  3  5                             
    Totals                 24  55   3   13    9   17   14 22 36   17  60  9   16 0   5  200

Total FG% 1st Half: 14-29  .483   2nd Half: 10-26   .385   Game: .436     Deadball
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 2-9    .222   2nd Half: 1-4     .250   Game: .231     Rebounds
F Throw% 1st Half:  4-5    .800   2nd Half: 5-12    .417   Game: .529     3

UT-Pan American Broncs (11-15)

No. Name                   FG  FGA  3FG 3FGA  FT  FTA  OF DE TOT  PF  TP  A   TO BLK S  MIN
11  John Braxton, f        3   6    2   2     0   0    3  2  5    2   8   2   4  0   1  34
15  Watara Banks, f        4   11   1   4     10  10   0  5  5    1   19  6   5  1   2  35
33  Matt Palmquist, c      5   5    0   0     0   1    1  2  3    2   10  0   0  1   1  25
05  Kwasinda Curtis, g     1   2    0   0     0   0    0  0  0    2   2   3   2  0   1  22
23  Brian Merriweather, g  5   14   3   8     0   0    0  5  5    0   13  0   1  0   1  36
10  Carlos Haywood         2   5    0   0     4   4    0  2  2    4   8   1   1  0   0  23
12  Gary Booker            1   4    0   0     0   2    0  1  1    3   2   0   0  0   0  7
21  Kyle Sanders           2   6    0   0     2   2    4  2  6    3   6   0   2  0   0  18
    Team                                               2  3  5                             
    Totals                 23  53   6   14    16  19   10 22 32   17  68  12  15 2   6  200

Total FG% 1st Half: 12-25  .480   2nd Half: 11-28   .393   Game: .434     Deadball
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 4-8    .500   2nd Half: 2-6     .333   Game: .429     Rebounds
F Throw% 1st Half:  4-7    .571   2nd Half: 12-12  1.000   Game: .842     1

Officials: Brent Sherrod, Terry Campbell, Gordon Welch

Technical Fouls: None
Attendance: 2,225

Score by Periods        1st   2nd   Final
Centenary               34    26    60
UTPA                    32    36    68