LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Tuongthach Gatkek delivered the defining moment of the night.
After Little Rock erased a four-point halftime deficit and clawed back in a back-and-forth second half, Gatkek stepped into the passing lane in the closing seconds, secured a steal and raced the length of the floor for a game-winning layup at the buzzer, lifting the Trojans to a dramatic 67-65 victory over UT Martin at the Jack Stephens Center.
Little Rock (11-17, 8-9 OVC) outscored the Skyhawks 39-33 after the break, finishing with 36 points in the paint and 12 points off turnovers — none bigger than the final takeaway.
"I'm so happy for our team," head coach Darrell Walker said. "These guys play hard. They compete every possession. They deserved that win. That last play was about effort and belief."
The second half was a grind from the start. Cameron Wallace ignited the rally early with a defensive rebound and emphatic dunk that trimmed the deficit to one. Wallace finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for his double-double, consistently punishing UT Martin inside.
Kachi Nzeh added 18 points and seven rebounds, knocking down 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. His clutch three-pointer with 2:38 remaining tied the game and set up the frantic finish. Johnathan Lawson chipped in 15 points and four rebounds, steadying the Trojans during key stretches.
UT Martin (20-9, 12-6 OVC) appeared poised to take the final shot in a game that featured three ties and six lead changes. Instead, Gatkek anticipated the pass, stepped in front and turned defense into instant offense.
Ballgame.
"That's what we talk about — defend, rebound, run," Walker said. "He made a winning play. Our guys stayed together and kept fighting. When you play that hard for 40 minutes, sometimes you get rewarded."
Earlier in the game, Little Rock showed flashes of control, including an early Wallace dunk and a three-pointer from Nzeh that helped the Trojans build momentum. But UT Martin's perimeter shooting helped the Skyhawks carry a 32-28 lead into halftime before Little Rock flipped the script after the break.
Gatkek finished with six points, two blocks and the steal that sealed it — the exclamation point on a resilient performance against a 20-win opponent, who was tied for first place in th Ohio Valley Conference.
"I was just going to the rim. That's the first buzzer-beater of my college career," he said. "It's a great feeling. UT Martin is a great basketball program this year and to beat them is big. It means a lot to us to win a game like this."
Little Rock returns to action Saturday, Feb. 21, hosting Southeast Missouri State at 3 p.m. at the Jack Stephens Center, carrying momentum from a win and possibly playing in front of a sellout crowd. Thanks to contributions form supporters, tickets have been given away to schools, community groups and foster families in an effort to 'Pack the Rock.'
"A big crowd can help so much," Walker said. "It would be great for our guys to the Stephens Center full on Saturday."
