Rangers race to win over Collin

Brayan Au scored 19 points and Jonathan Jackson added 12 more on Saturday and helped lead the seventh-ranked Ranger College men's basketball team to a rousing 75-62 victory over Collin College in front of a large crowd in the Ron Butler Gym.

For Ranger, the win avenges one of its two losses this season and moves the team to 21-2 overall and, more importantly, into sole possession of the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference lead. Now 7-1 in conference, the Rangers are one-half game ahead of Temple, which notched a 110-65 non-conference win over Fort Sam Houston.

After Collin had fought its way to an early lead, Au, Caleb Asberry and Jaren English breathed life into the RC offense. All three buried three-point shots in the first half and pushed Ranger to a 34-26 lead at the half.

Braden Bell also knocked down a three-pointer in the first half.

The Rangers, backed by a stellar performance at the free throw line, closed out the win with a 41-36 run in the second half. In the frame, RC buried 17 of its 20 attempts from the charity stripe. Au led the Rangers' effort on the line by converting 13 of his 16 second-half attempts.

Asberry and Coryon Mason also finished in double figures for Ranger. Both netted 10 points.