CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Rogers State men's basketball team got its revenge on St. Mary's turning in a complete performance in an impressive 74-57 victory Thursday night at the Claremore Expo Center.

RSU totaled 44 points in the paint to 18 from StMU.

J.C. Hartzler started the game hitting the first two RSU shots for a quick 5-0 lead 1:11 into the contest firing up the crowd from the start. Johnathon Buckley converted a traditional three-point play as the Cats doubled up the Rattlers, 12-6.
 
The margin stretched into double figures, 18-8, on a triple from Donald Moore after Jordan Huffman's three-point play. The Rattlers battled back using a 9-0 run minutes later to even the score, 20-20. RSU did not take kindly to the stretch and responded with the next seven points, led by Robert Johnson and Corey Ayala, and closed the opening half leading 37-30.
 
After a basket from StMU to start the second half, RSU poured in seven straight points to go up 45-33 after a Johnson jumper with 16:12 remaining. Hartzler totaled four points in the run and Jeylyn Sharpe hit a layup.
 
The Rattlers slowly closed the gap and trailed by four points at 50-46 after a basket midway through the second half.
 
RSU responded big time with a 17-2 run over the next six minutes. Matt Lea, who went 3-for-3 shooting with six points, put the Hillcats up by 19 with a two-handed slam for a 67-48 score with 4:27 remaining. The spurt started with four straight layups, two each from Moore and Sharpe. Moore was fouled on his second basket and made a free throw for a 59-46 advantage. Lea scored on a tip-in, and Hartzler and Ayala added free throws in the run before the dunk by Lea.
 
The run put the game away as the Hillcats went on to win 74-57.
 
The Hillcats were sizzling in the second half, shooting 70.6 percent (12-17) from the field. All 12 of the baskets in the second half were in the paint with 11 layups or dunks and one jumper in the paint from Johnson. RSU finished with 44 points in the paint as 22 of their 25 made baskets came in the lane. The Hillcats shot 86 percent on twos in the second half making 12 of 14.    
 
For the contest, RSU shot 64.1 percent (25-39) its second highest shooting percentage of the season behind a team record of 71.4 percent against Dallas Christian. The 64.1 percent shooting performance tonight ranks fourth all-time in RSU history. The Hillcats took their lowest number of three-pointers this season with only six attempts and made two, also a season low. Both made triples came in the first eight minutes.
 
Hartzler scored a game-high 17 points, and Moore finished with 15 points. Ayala pulled down a game-high eight rebounds and finished with seven points.
 
RSU (17-4 overall, 9-4 HC) returns to the hardwood Saturday, Feb. 6 hosting conference-leading Texas A&M International. Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. at the Claremore Expo Center and can be seen live on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.