Box Score BOCA RATON, Fla. ? The UALR men's basketball team (5-14, 1-7) battled back from a 10-point deficit with 3:52 remaining to make it a one-point ballgame with 42 seconds to go, but missed a potential game-tying three pointer at the buzzer, as Florida Atlantic (9-10, 5-3) escaped with a 77-74 victory on Thursday night.
The Owls connected on 13-of-24 three-point attempts (54.2 percent) and were led by a career-high 29 points from Greg Gantt. The freshman guard went 7-of-12 from three-point range and scored 16 points in the second half to help FAU overcome a 37-32 halftime deficit.
Junior Solomon Bozeman was one of four Trojans to score in double figures, making 8-of-12 from the field en route to a team-high 21 points. Junior Ricky Davison added 13 points off the bench by going 4-of-4 from three-point range, followed by 12 points from Matt Mouzy and a season-high 11 from Montrell Thornton.
UALR led 58-57 after a pair of free throws by Thornton with 9:50 left to play, but the Owls connected three times from beyond the arc as a part of a 15-4 run to take a 72-62 lead with 5:13 remaining. FAU led 75-65 after a three pointer by Shavar Richardson, but the Trojans rallied by scoring nine-unanswered points, with four points from Bozeman and a three pointer by Davison, to make it a 75-74 contest with 42 seconds to go.
Alex Tucker earned a trip to the foul line with 29.8 seconds remaining on the Owls' ensuing possession, and knocked down both foul shots to extend FAU's lead to three, 77-74. UALR called its last timeout with 19.3 seconds left to draw up a final play, but the Trojans lost control of the ball as the clock wound down and Bozeman was forced to rush his three-point attempt as time expired.
UALR took a 37-32 lead into the break after holding FAU to .324 field-goal percentage in the first half, but the Owls rebounded to shoot 59.3 percent from the field in the second half ? including a 7-of-12 effort from three-point range. FAU's Brett Royster totaled 12 points, six rebounds and six blocks in the win, while Raymond Taylor led all players with nine assists.
FAU took a 24-22 lead off a three pointer by Gantt with 6:25 to go in the first half, but it would mark the Owls last points for a 5:03 stretch. UALR capitalized on FAU's drought by embarking on a 12-0 run to take a 10-point lead, 34-24, with 1:29 to go.
Mouzy sparked the run with a layup to tie things up at 24-all, and Bozeman delivered a bucket in the paint and a three-pointer during the 12-0 spurt. Sophomore Kelson Stewart capped off the run with a pair of free throws at the 1:29 mark to put the Trojans on top by 10.
Gantt finally snapped FAU's scoring drought with a three pointer with 1:03 left in the half. UALR held a 37-27 edge with 57 seconds to go after Bozeman hit his second three pointer of the half, but a trey from Richardson and a pair of foul shots by Taylor allowed FAU to make it a 37-32 contest at the break.
The Trojans shot 51.9 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes and received 12 points apiece from Bozeman and Mouzy.
UALR returns to action Saturday night when it travels to Miami, Fla. to face FIU at 7 p.m. (CT).
