UTA Loses to South Alabama

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MOBILE, Alabama – UT Arlington fell in a huge hole and nearly dug itself out, but the Mavericks could not make it all the way back in a 97-91 setback to South Alabama on Saturday at Mitchell Center.

UTA dropped to 14-10 on the season and 8-6 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Mavericks saw their four-game road winning streak snapped and split the two-game season series with the Jaguars.

The Mavericks, down 49-29 at the half, spent the game playing from behind. A frantic second-half rally fueled by a fullcourt press and 3-point shooting put the contest in striking distance, but South Alabama’s lead proved too much to overcome.

“In the first half we had no intensity,” UT Arlington coach Scott Cross said. “Our guys could not stay in front of their guards. They were treating us like we were cones. They were just dribbling around us and shooting it right in our face.

“It’s hard to beat a team when they have great shooting night like that. You have to give them credit, but we didn’t do a very good job. We didn’t play with the toughness needed to win on the road. The only way you win is being tougher and playing harder than your opponent.”

The Jaguars were hot from deep early and put UTA into a quick 21-9 deficit. The Mavericks

could never find their footing as guard Kevin Williams (29 points) repeatedly hurt them from downtown and forward Georgi Boyanov (17 points) went to work around the rim.

Whatever the Mavs tried didn’t seem to work, as the frustration mounted on UTA bench. Cross called timeout after Boyanov’s dunk made it 34-17. UT Arlington went into the break down 20 points, with the Jaguars shooting 56.3 percent.

The most UTA had given up in the first half in conference play had been 45 earlier this month at Louisiana.

UTA did score 62 points in the second half, cutting the lead to as close as six on several occasions. Lonnie McClanahan and Erick Neal were the catalysts in the second-half kick, combining for 35 points after halftime.

McClanahan finished with 20 and Neal set a career high with 16 points. Greg Gainey added 13 points and nine rebounds. Kevin Hervey picked up UTA’s first double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

UTA returns to College Park Center for Thursday’s Sun Belt matchup against Appalachian State.

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