Fort Worth, Texas – Central Christian battled wire to wire on the road Thursday night, but a big first-half run by Texas Wesleyan proved to be the difference as the Tigers fell 76–68 in their SAC opener at the Sid Richardson Center.

Central (5–2, 0–1 SAC) came out strong behind the hot hand of Travis King, who scored the Tigers' first eight points and was nearly unstoppable throughout the evening. The junior forward turned in a dominant performance with 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds, and five assists while playing all 40 minutes.

The Tigers were within a possession early, but Texas Wesleyan caught fire from deep, knocking down nine three-pointers in the opening half and using an 18-point first-half lead to gain separation. Central continued to fight, shooting an efficient 50 percent from the field for the night, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.

Despite the loss, the Tigers showed balance and competitiveness on the offensive end. Chris Whitten added 18 points, including 9 in each half, while Jevarrick Butler scored 14 and knocked down a pair of threes in the second period. Za'Corey Stewart chipped in nine points and three assists off the bench, providing an energetic spark.

Central made a late push in the second half, holding the Rams to just 31 points after halftime and cutting the lead into single digits, but Texas Wesleyan answered late to hang on. The Rams finished with four double-digit scorers and controlled the glass 38–21.

The Tigers will stay on the road continuing SAC play as they travel to Nelson University to take on the Lions, aiming to build on the positives from Thursday's effort and continue its strong early-season form. Tip off is scheduled for 3:45pm and the game will be streamed on the Urban Edge Network.