Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark. ? UALR junior Steven Moore sank 1-of-2 foul shots with 1.9 seconds remaining to lift the Trojans (10-5, 3-1 Sun Belt) to a 78-77 win over North Texas (8-7, 1-3) at the Jack Stephens Center on Thursday night.
In a closely contested game featuring 13 tie scores and 10 lead changes, the Trojans went 3-for-4 from the field and forced UNT into three turnovers in the extra session to pull out their second-consecutive overtime win at home.
“I'm really proud of our guys' resiliency, especially in the second half. I didn't think we were very good defensively, but you have to give North Texas credit. They are a very potent team offensively,” said UALR head coach Steve Shields.
“Sometimes your guys will be a little shaky coming off a game like (WKU). We didn't give them Sunday off like we normally do. We came back and worked, and we did it for a reason because our effort wasn't where it needed to be. I thought our effort tonight was exceptional, and was good in practice all week as well.”
North Texas tied the game at 77-all after Tristan Thompson knocked down a pair of foul shots with 10.8 seconds left in the game, but Moore earned a trip to the line after drawing contact under the basket with 1.9 seconds remaining. The Little Rock-native sank the first to put the Trojans on top, and North Texas called a timeout after corralling the rebound on the second shot. UNT threw an inbounds pass from the baseline to midcourt, but the Trojans came up with the ball to secure the win.
Moore was one of four Trojans in double figures, leading the team with 17 points off 7-of-14 shooting. Seniors John Fowler and Shane Edwards added 14 and 12 points, respectively, though Edwards was in foul trouble most of the night and fouled out in 18 minutes of action.
Freshman Lionel Foster made the first start of his UALR career on Thursday night, and responded with season highs of nine points, six assists and three steals over a team-leading 39 minutes. Foster and Moore tied for the team lead with six assists a piece, as the Trojans racked up 16 assists against 14 turnovers.
Eric Tramiel was one of five UNT players to score in double figures, leading the Mean Green with 21 points, off 9-of-12 shooting, and eight rebounds. North Texas outshot the Trojans 46.3 percent to 42.6 percent on the night, but committed 20 turnovers and went 2-of-17 from three-point range.
The Trojans struggled at the foul line on Thursday, converting 22-of-33 attempts on the night (66.7 pct.), including an 8-of-15 effort in the second half (53.3 pct.). UALR went 1-of-2 at the line in each of its final five trips to the line in the second half, including a 1-for-2 showing by sophomore Matt Mouzy which tied the game at 69-all with 44 seconds to go.
UALR appeared to take control of the game after breaking a 61-all tie with a quick 6-0 run. The Trojans held a 68-63 lead with 3:09 to go, but UNT's Josh White brought the Mean Green back by converting a four-point play after drawing a foul on a made three pointer. Tramiel followed with a layup to give UNT a 69-68 lead with 1:25 remaining.
UNT took possession after Mouzy tied the game at 69-all, but Dominique Johnson's shot was off the mark. UALR had the ball with 9.6 seconds left and a chance to end the game in regulation, but was unable to get a good look.
The two teams went scoreless for the first two minutes of overtime, before Tramiel put UNT ahead 71-69 with an offensive putback. The Mean Green held three leads in overtime, the last of which came after two free throws by Thompson made it a 75-73 contest with 1:12 to go.
Foster tied the game at 75-all by making two clutch foul shots, and Fowler gave UALR its first lead of the overtime period by following up his steal off Johnson with a jumper from the wing with 27 seconds to go. Down 77-75, Thompson earned another trip to the charity stripe, and knocked down both shots to even the game at 77-all and set up Moore's game winner.
UALR shot just 30.0 percent from the field in the second half (9-of-30), but made 3-of-4 field goals in overtime and converted 3-of-4 foul shots. UALR's defense picked the team up on an off shooting night, with the Trojans collecting 10 steals and scoring 19 points off turnovers and 10 fastbreak points.
UALR played without junior forward Mike Smith, who was suspended prior to the start of the game for violation of team rules. Regular starter Brandon Patterson was limited to just four minutes of playing time, as the senior guard was still dealing with the effects of a dislocated finger.
The Trojans return to action Saturday night when they faced the Privateers in New Orleans, La. at 7 p.m.
