Box score (PDF)    

ABILENE-The tie for the lead in the American Southwest Conference West Division is no more.

Sul Ross recorded five players in double figures to claim a thrilling 108-98 conference win over host Hardin-Simmons Thursday in a jammed-packed Mabee Complex.

Rocky Feliciano (El Paso/Hanks) and Alex Harrison (Lubbock/Monterey) led the charge scoring 24 points each. Feliciano helped the Lobos to a 95 percent shooting performance from the free throw line as the Sul Ross senior hit 100 percent from the stripe (13-13) for the third time this season.

Caleb Thomasson (Ackerly/Sands) and Xavier Webb (Riverton,WY/RHS) picked up 19 and 15 points respectively in the win.

Jacob Dawson (Amarillo/AHS) supplied 12 points while Thomasson reached eight rebounds.

Sul Ross charged out the door immediately as Webb knocked down a three ball just seven seconds into the game.

Harrison completed the 5-0 run with a layup before the Lobos took a 9-3 lead off a paint shot by Thomasson at 17:21.

The Cowboys took a brief lead off a jump shot by Christian O'Neal but the momentum swung right back to the visitors as Damien Rhodriquez (San Antonio/John Jay) converted from long range giving Sully a slim 16-14 advantage.

A free throw by Harrison concluded a 4-0 that put Sully ahead, 20-14 at 12:14.

HSU broke to within a pair of three-point deficits before another 4-0 Lobo run gave Sul Ross a seven-point, 30-23 advantage with 7:02 left until the break.

A pair of free throws by the Cowboys' Dashun Dixon closed the HSU deficit to two, 35-33 at the three minute mark.

Sul Ross scored the final bucket of the half off a three-pointer by Webb to take a 43-38 lead to intermission.

The Lobos exploded to a 13-point lead heading into the second period as a Harrison dunk put Sully ahead, 53-40.

Two free throws by Nathaniel Jack at 15:52 closed the gap to eight with Sul Ross leading 48-56.

An 11-0 SRSU run ended on a free throw by Feliciano at 8:42 giving the Lobos a commanding 77-57 lead.

A layup by Thomasson at 2:11 gave Sul Ross their largest favor, a 21-point, 96-75 lead.

Hardin-Simmons narrowed the gap to eight twice before Feliciano banked on his last two free throws in the closing moments as the Lobos walked away with the 108-98 win.

With the victory Sul Ross takes sole possession of first place in the Conference West and improves to 12-8 and 8-3. The Cowboys fall to 12-8 and 7-4.

The Lobos will remain in Abilene for a Saturday afternoon ASC matchup with McMurry.

Tipoff is slated for 3:00 p.m. at McM's Kimbrell Arena.