RENO RISE ABOVE LEGENDS IN TEXAS

FRISCO, TX. ---- The Reno Bighorns (25-15) defeated the Texas Legends (25-20) 136-122 Saturday night at the Dr. Pepper Arena in Frisco, TX.

Aaron Harrison led the Bighorns with 31 points and three rebounds while Jack Cooley recorded his 18th double-double of the season with 19 points and a season-high 18 rebounds. Cody Demps notched 18 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Johnathan Motley paced the Legends scoring 27 points and grabbing nine rebounds while Brandon Ashley had 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The first quarter was a head-to-head battle through a tightly-contested frame with the Legends winning the quarter with a narrow 29-28 lead. Neither team led by more than five points in the frame, despite the quarter seeing three lead changes and four ties. Sampson went 5-10 in the frame, scoring 10 of his 17 points in the period.

The even play continued through the second quarter with both teams scoring over 34 points apiece. The teams kept the score within two possessions majority of the frame before Reno had a late run after back-to-back triples from Harrison to open their lead to nine points at the 3:00 mark. Texas would cut their deficit to six points going into the locker room at the half.

The two teams kept the score tight opening the second half knotting the score up at 86 at the 3:37 point of the third frame after exchanging the lead four times and tying four times. The Bighorns gained momentum going on an 11-3 run to give them an eight-point lead entering the final frame with an 83-78 lead.

Reno got off to hot-shooting in the fourth quarter, completing 72.2% attempts from the field, including 70.0% team shooting from beyond-the-arc. Reno and the Lakers combined for a total of 28 points in the paint. The Bighorns kept the Legends at bay with a double-digit surplus majority of the frame behind Harrison’s 8-10 shooting effort in the quarter to secure a 136-122 victory.

Harrison went 6-7 from distance in the fourth quarter.

Reno will return to the Reno Events Center to face the Iowa Wolves on Monday, Mar. 12 at 7 p.m.

--bighorns--