Ibarra scores career-high 25 points, Houston Baptist wins

Feb 9, 2017, 11:20 pm

NATCHITOCHES, La. -- Josh Ibarra scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, and all five Houston Baptist starters scored in double figures for an 86-69 victory over Northwestern State on Thursday night.

It was the first time Ibarra, a junior, has eclipsed 20 points in his career and nine of his rebounds came on the offensive end.

Houston Baptist went on a 32-8 run over the final 11:42 of the first half for a 47-27 lead. In the second half, Sabri Thompson hit a 3-pointer, his fifth of the night, with 2:32 left to pull Northwestern State to 79-67. HBU scored the next five points, capped by a Braxton Bonds 3-point play, to stretch it to 17 points.

Asa Cantwell hit 4 of 5 3-pointers and scored a career-high 17 points -- 15 coming in the first half -- for Houston Baptist (10-12, 6-6 Southland). Reveal Chukwujekwu had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Thompson finished with 24 points for Northwestern State (9-13, 3-8), which was outrebounded 43-27.