ALPINE, Texas - Tristen Licon dazzled the crowd at the Gallego Center on Thursday with a career-high 36 points and 14 rebounds in a 77-70 lassoing of the visiting Hardin-Simmons Cowboys.

The new career-high breaks his previous mark of 35 points back on December 8, 2020 against Mary Hardin-Baylor. His 14 rebounds ties a career-best he set on November 27, 2020 against McMurry.

After the Cowboys opened up scoring with a triple, Jezreel Griffin converted a layup before Licon scored the next six for an 8-3 lead.

After another three-pointer from HSU, Julian Paredes knocked down a pair of free throws to lead 10-6. Trey Nelson had an answer for a Cowboys jumper with a triple of his own to lead by five with just under 15:00 left in the first half.

The game stayed between a three and five point lead for the Lobos until Licon and Caelyb Kerley hit back-to-back triples for a 27-18 lead with just under seven minutes left before halftime.

HSU quickly cut it to four but saw that balloon back to eight on back-to-back layups from Deveraux Minix and Nelson for a 31-23 lead with just over four minutes left.

Carson Perkins gave Sully their largest lead of 11 with a triple later in the first half, but the Cowboys finished with the final five points for a 37-31 Lobos lead at the break.

HSU started the second half putting the first four on the board to trail by two.

After a Sully timeout, Licon answered with a layup and jumper for a 41-35 advantage.

The Cowboys responded with a quick 6-0 run to tie things but saw themselves down six again after back-to-back triples from Licon and Dixon with just under 15:00 remaining.

HSU again trimmed the deficit to two but again saw five from Licon as part of an 8-0 run. Perkins added a triple for a 55-45 lead.

The Cowboys were able to cut it to six but would get no closer the remainder of the game as the Lobos eventually broke out to a 13-point advantage on a Paredes layup with under 7:00 left. 

Sully sported two more 13-point leads down the stretch before picking up the 77-70 home victory.

Licon's 36 and 14 also came with a game-high four steals.

Perkins was the only other Lobo in double digits with 11 points.

Jake Lopez didn't add to the point total but finished with a game-high eight assists.

Sully improves to 4-5 on the season and 2-2 in conference play. HSU falls to 7-3 and 2-1.

The Lobos now prepare for a 3:00 p.m. tip with the McMurry War Hawks this Saturday at the Gallego Center.