Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? The UALR men's basketball team (2-1) dropped a 68-58 non-conference tilt to UT Arlington (3-0) on Sunday afternoon at the Jack Stephens Center, as the visiting Mavericks forced the Trojans into a season-high 23 turnovers.
“We went up against an outstanding basketball team tonight, and they out-toughed us, outcoached us and outplayed us,” said UALR head coach Steve Shields. “Turnovers have been a big concern of ours this year. We have to do a better job of valuing the basketball.”
The Trojans trailed by seven points, 54-47, with 5:30 remaining but cut their deficit all the way down to a point, 57-56, with a quick 9-3 run sparked by a pair of three pointers from Terrance Akins. The senior guard capped off the 9-3 run with his fourth three pointer of the night to make it a 57-56 contest with 2:17 to play.
UTA gave the Trojans an opening when Larry Posey missed both foul shots on the ensuing possession, but UALR gave it right back on a traveling call. Leading 57-56, Brandon Long delivered a three-pointer on UTA's next possession to snap a 3:36 scoring drought and extend the Mavericks lead to four points, 60-56, with 52 seconds remaining.
UALR was unable to answer Long's three pointer, as the Trojans gave the ball right back to UTA when senior Rashad Moss was whistled for an offensive foul. The Mavericks went a perfect 8-of-8 from the foul line over the final 37 seconds to seal the win.
Long led all scorers with 15 points, despite going just 5-of-12 from the field. The junior guard was just 2-of-7 from beyond the arc, but hit both of his treys at opportune moments. His first three pointer came as time expired in the first half, sending the Mavericks into the break with a 27-26 lead. His final three, with 52 seconds remaining, proved to be the game-winning points for UTA.
The Mavericks shot 52.6 percent from the field (10-of-19) in the second half, while converting on 19-of-26 trips to the foul line (73.1 percent). UTA held the Trojans to a .375 shooting percentage in the first half, and outshot UALR 46.8 percent to 42.2 percent in the game.
“When a team comes in and shoots 47 percent from the floor on your homecourt, you obviously have to be more sound defensively,” said Shields.
Posey added 12 points in the win, off 5-of-10 shooting, while senior Jermaine Griffin added nine points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Griffin entered the game averaging 19 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, but got into foul trouble in the first half and was limited to 21 minutes of work.
The Trojans scored the first bucket of the second half to go ahead 28-27, but it would prove to be their last lead of the game. Long drew contact on a three pointer and knocked down all three foul shots to put the Mavericks ahead 30-28 with 19:17 to go ? UTA would never trail again.
A bucket in the paint from sophomore Steven Moore tied the game at 34-all with 14:36 on the clock. Trey Parker answered with a dunk on the other end to put UTA on top for good. Parker's dunk snowballed into a 9-3 run, with a pair of jumpers from Tommy Moffitt, to give the Mavericks a 43-37 lead they would never relinquish.
UALR fought its way back into the game, but a wide-open three pointer by Rog'er Guignard with 4:28 to go and Long's trey with 52 seconds left, proved to be enough to hold off the Trojan rally.
The Trojans were sluggish out of the gate, falling into a 10-3 hole by going 1-of-8 from the field at the onset of the game. Freshman Matt Mouzy saw his first action of the year when he took the court with 7:54 to go, and promptly sank his first collegiate shot (a three pointer) to tie the game at 13-all with 7:26 on the clock.
UALR took its first lead of the game, 16-15, off a three pointer from Akins with 6:06 to play, but faced a one-point deficit at the break, 27-26, after Long's triple at the buzzer.
Moore and Akins led the Trojans with 12 points a piece in the losing effort, while sophomore Mike Smith chipped in eight points and a season-high nine rebounds in 29 minutes off the bench.
UALR returns to action Tuesday, when it welcomes Centenary to the Jack Stephens Center at 7 p.m.
