LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? The UALR men's basketball team (12-5, 4-2) went the final 5:15 without a field goal on Thursday night, but held off the ULM Warhawks (6-12, 0-6) for a 59-57 victory at the Jack Stephens Center. UALR sophomore Steven Moore sank two foul shots with 29 seconds left, which proved to be the difference against a ULM squad which went just 1-of-7 from the field over the final minute.
“It's like I told our guys in the locker room ?it's a conference win.' It's number four for our guys and we'll take it. We're not giving it back,” said UALR head coach Steve Shields. “Louisiana-Monroe showed a lot of toughness and resiliency and you've got to give them credit.”
ULM's Jordan Payne led all scorers with 25 points, but missed two potential game-winning three pointers in the final 30 seconds. Junior De'Andre Eggins led the Trojans with 14 points and six rebounds off the bench, while Moore added 12 points and a team-high four assists.
The Trojans committed 21 turnovers on the night and converted on just 17-of-29 trips to the foul line (58.6 percent), but got a boost from their defense, which held the Warhawks to a .339 shooting percentage ? including a 7-of-28 effort from three-point range.
UALR faced an early 9-2 deficit but answered with an 18-0 run and never trailed again. The Trojans shot 52.2 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes to take a 31-24 lead into the break.
The win was UALR's eighth-straight at the Jack Stephens Center, and improves the team's record to 9-1 this season at home. The Trojans' eight-game win streak will be put to the test Saturday night win East Division-leader South Alabama (14-3, 6-0) visits the Jack Stephens Center at 7 p.m.
Payne scored five of the team's first nine points as ULM built a 9-2 lead with 16:37 on the clock. Down seven, the Trojans put together an 18-0 run as ULM went scoreless for the next 7:56. Moore scored the first five points of the 18-0 run, which senior Rashad Moss capped off with a bucket in the paint at the 9:54 mark.
Trailing by 11, the Warhawks rattled off a 13-2 run to cut their deficit all the way down to a point, 23-22, with 2:38 to go. Once again, Payne was the catalyst for ULM, scoring five of the team's 13 points and capping off the run with a three pointer in transition.
With the lead down to a single point, the Trojans responded with eight-unanswered points to take a 31-22 lead with 38 seconds left in the half. Moore had a hand in the Trojans first six points of the team's 8-0 spurt. The Little Rock-native hit 1-of-2 foul shots, then assisted on a three pointer by Eggins, before scoring on a fastbreak layup off his own steal. Junior Lekheythan Malone put the finishing touches on the 8-0 run when he capitalized on a defensive lapse by ULM by driving to the hole for an uncontested dunk.
ULM's Jonas Brown closed out the first half with a layup to pull the Warhawks within seven at the break, 31-24. The two teams were even in turnovers (10 a piece) and rebounds (16-to-16) over the first 20 minutes, but the Trojans outshot ULM 52.2 percent to 30.8 percent.
UALR appeared on its way to a comfortable win after a successful three-point conversion by sophomore Mike Smith gave the Trojans an eight-point lead, 50-42, with 7:33 remaining. Payne answered the bell for ULM, using a pair of three pointers to help pull the Warhawks within two points, 52-50, with 6:11 left to play.
With the lead cut to two, Moore delivered a bucket in the paint to put UALR back on top by four, 54-50, with 5:16 on the clock. Unfortunately, it would mark the Trojans final field goal of the game.
Leading 56-52, Eggins earned a trip to the foul line with 3:50 remaining. The Alexandria, La.-native hit his first foul shot to put the Trojans ahead 57-52, but missed his second. The Trojans then missed their next four foul shots following Eggins' miss to help ULM make it a two-point game, 57-55, with 1:10 to go after a jumper by Payne.
Down 57-55, the Warhawks regained possession after a miss by the Trojans, but Payne's potential game-winning three pointer was off the mark. Moore collected the rebound and was quickly fouled with 29 seconds to go. He calmly knocked down both foul shots to put UALR ahead by four, 59-55.
After a lay up by Hampton made it a 59-57 contest with eight seconds left, the Warhawks reclaimed possession after UALR turned the ball over on the inbounds play. Payne got the ball with a chance to win the game, but was forced into an off-balance three pointer. Hampton got the offensive rebound, but his desperation jumper as time expired did not fall.
Payne went 10-of-22 from the field and 5-of-13 from three-point range in the loss. Afam Nweke added seven points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Hampton chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
