GOODWELL, Okla. – Stingy defense and efficient offense led the Rogers State men to an 86-41 victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State from Oscar Williams Field House Saturday afternoon.
 
For the fifth straight game RSU held an opponent under 60 points as the Hillcats kept OPSU to a record low point total by a RSU opponent in the program's ten year history.
 
RSU shot 52.2 percent from the field including 9-of-25 from 3-point, the most made 3-pointers for the Hillcats in Heartland Conference play this season.
 
The Hillcats jumped out on the Aggies in the opening nine minutes of action building a 19-7 lead behind six points from JD Tisdale and the RSU lead wouldn't drop below ten points the remainder of the game.
 
Coach Justin Barkley's squad locked down the Aggies over a two minute stretch in the first half started by a pair of free throws by Tisdale. The Hillcats forced three turnovers and allowed the Aggies to attempt just two shots as RSU scored 12 unanswered points capped by back-to-back 3-pointers from Jeylyn Sharpe and Baron Smith Jr.
 
OPSU's Tevin Lyets knocked down a jumper to stop the scoreless run for the Aggies as the Hillcats closed out the first half on a 9-0 run. RSU held the Aggies to a season low for a half in conference play as the Hillcats led 45-16.
 
Sharpe paced the Hillcats with 14 points, all of them coming in the first half, and matched a season high with two 3-pointers made. Tisdale added all 12 of his points in the first half and finished with three steals.
 
The Hillcats shot better in the second half hitting at a 62.1 percent clip from the field and 36.4 percent from behind the arc. A 15-0 run by the Hillcats fueled by Chase Littlejohn and Travis Hester with five points each over 2:48 stretched the Hillcats lead from 31 points out to a 77-34 advantage with 7:02 to go.
 
RSU forced the Aggies into 20 turnovers resulting in 27 points as the Hillcats nabbed 13 steals and held OPSU to 33 percent shooting.
 
Lytes was the bright spot for the Aggies finishing with 20 points and six rebounds while Sita Sesay finished with 10 points and six boards for Oklahoma Panhandle State (5-17, 0-13).
 
Rogers State (16-7, 9-4) saw all 11 Hillcats that appeared in the victory score. Forward Christopher Ikuenobe matched a season-high with six points while adding five rebounds and two steals in the start. Six-foot guard Kyler Ng led the Hillcats with eight rebounds, a career high for the senior guard, as RSU outrebounded the Aggies 42-25.
 
Rogers State will return home to face Lubbock Christian on Thursday, February 9 at 7:30 p.m. RSU Radio 91.3FM and RSU TV2 will broadcast the showdown with the Chaparrals while audio and video streaming will be provided on the Hillcat Network at www.rsuhillcats.com/live.