SUN BELT/SWAC MEN

UALR wins with crisp 2nd half

UALR guard Jalen Jackson (right) drives to the basket against UAPB’s Artavious McDyess during the Trojans’ 67-52 victory over the Golden Lions on Thursday at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock. Jackson scored 16 points for the Trojans.
UALR guard Jalen Jackson (right) drives to the basket against UAPB’s Artavious McDyess during the Trojans’ 67-52 victory over the Golden Lions on Thursday at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock. Jackson scored 16 points for the Trojans.

Wes Flanigan stood in front of UALR's bench Thursday night, clapping for his Trojans as they made their way to the bench at the first timeout of the second half.

photo

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

UALR forward Marius Hill helped the Trojans win their fourth game in a row with a big effort against UAPB on Thursday night. Hill scored 21 points as UALR battled back from a 26-24 halftime deficit to beat the Golden Lions 67-52 at the Jack Stephens Center Center in Little Rock.

The Trojans had played their cleanest four minutes of the night to erase a halftime deficit and wrestle away control in what ended up being a 67-52 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock.

The Trojans trailed by as many as eight midway through the first half, but outscored UAPB 14-2 over the second half's first four minutes to win their fourth game in a row.

UALR's comeback was a contrast to its only home loss this season, a 65-57 setback to Idaho on Nov. 18, in which it let a first-half funk last the entire game.

"I think we learned something form the Idaho game," Flanigan said. "This time, we settled down in the second half and we started to play like the team we're capable of playing like."

Maurius Hill had a career-high 21 points and 6 rebounds and Jalen Jackson had 16 points and five rebounds to help UALR (7-2) rally from what was a 16-8 deficit with 11:33 left in the first half and 24-16 six minutes later.

The Trojans shot 35.5 percent in the first half and committed 8 turnovers before shooting 55.6 percent and limiting themselves to 3 turnovers in the second half.

Kemmy Osse hit two three-pointers in the first minute after halftime to put UALR up 30-28, its first lead since it was 6-5.

That kick-started UALR's 12-point turnaround over the second half's first four minutes that opened a 38-28 lead and drew the satisfied applause from Flanigan.

The Trojans were 5 of 5 from the field during that stretch, while forcing 5 turnovers, 4 of which turned into points.

"We answered the bell," said Hill, who scored UALR's final eight points of the first half to cut a 24-16 deficit to 26-24. "We came out kind of flat and our main purpose was to just come out with a strong half and just attack what was open."

UALR did that defensively, too, forcing five turnovers in the first 4½ minutes to help take control.

"It was just about matching their intensity," said Osse, who had 10 points. "In the first half, we didn't match them."

The Golden Lions (1-8) made four first-half three-pointers and got first-half points from eight different players. UAPB made six of its first 10 shots, including three-pointers from three different players to take a 16-8 lead.

UAPB played without leading scorer Ghiavonni Robinson, who has a hip injury.

UAPB Coach George Ivory said Robinson's energy and 12.8 points per game could have made the outcome a little closer, but the turnovers in the second half made it too hard to keep up.

"We need to understand that when you get tired, you can't just throw the ball anywhere thinking that someone is supposed to be open," Ivory said.

Ivory's plan was to try to limit UALR's Marcus Johnson Jr. as much as possible. It worked, as Johnson, UALR's leading scorer at 15.5 points per game before Thursday, didn't make a shot until a three-pointer with 6:16 left. Johnson finished with five points, which tied a career-low.

"They've got some size, they've got some athleticism, and they've got some quickness," Flanigan said. "You saw in the first half it really affected us."

UAPB tried to rally after UALR opened a surge in the second half. Jaquan Lynch made consecutive threes, then a jump shot to get it within 42-36 with 14:02 left. Later, UALR outscored UAPB 8-2 to open a 56-40 lead with less than seven minutes to play.

UAPB's focus on Johnson left Hill open for easy baskets inside, as well as lanes for Jackson to drive to the basket. Hill made 8 of 12 shots, and Jackson made 7 of 8, all coming near the basket.

"They kept their composure and they didn't force a lot of shots, and they played good with everybody else," Ivory said. "That's a sign of a really good basketball team, a well-coached team."

UAPB M FG FT O-R pf a Pts

Steen 25 2-6 1-2 0-2 3 1 5

Harper 23 3-6 1-2 2-4 2 0 7

Lynch 31 6-10 2-2 0-5 2 2 17

Toliver 24 1-4 0-0 0-0 2 2 3

Wallace 22 2-3 0-0 0-0 0 2 5

Jackson 17 2-5 0-0 0-2 2 1 5

McKinney 24 2-4 1-3 0-2 1 1 6

Cunningham 7 1-4 0-0 0-1 0 0 2

McDyess 7 0-0 0-0 0-1 1 0 0

Campbell 1 0-1 0-0 1-1 0 0 0

Berry 11 0-1 0-0 1-2 3 0 0

TIllman 8 1-1 0-0 1-2 1 0 2

Team 0-0

Totals 200 20-45 5-9 5-22 17 9 52

PCT. -- FG 44.4, FT 55.6. 3-PT. -- 7-17, 41.2 (Lynch 3-5, Jackson 1-2, Wallace 1-2, McKinney 1-3, Toliver 1-4, Campbell 0-1). BL -- 1 (Berry). TO -- 16 (Toliver 4). ST -- 6 (Toliver 2).

UALR M FG FT O-R pf a Pts

Jackson 20 7-8 2-2 1-5 2 1 16

Hill 30 8-12 5-6 3-6 2 1 21

Shoshi 13 1-4 0-0 3-6 0 3 2

Johnson Jr. 30 1-5 2-2 1-4 1 4 5

Osse 26 3-7 1-2 0-6 0 0 10

Pippins 3 0-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 0

Jones 18 1-5 2-2 2-2 1 1 5

Black 24 3-4 0-0 3-6 3 1 6

Marcus 8 1-2 0-1 1-1 2 0 2

Goldman 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Moorman 5 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0

Burns 21 0-6 0-0 0-0 1 2 0

Team 0-0

Totals 200 25-55 12-15 14-37 12 13 67

PCT. -- FG 45.5, FT 80.0. 3-PT. -- 5-22, 22.7 (Osse 3-6, Jones 1-3, Johnson Jr. 1-5, Moorman 0-1, Pippins 0-1, Burns 0-6). BL -- 2 (Black 2). TO -- 13 (Jackson 3). ST -- 8 (Hill 2, Johnson Jr. 2).

Halftime -- UAPB 26, UALR 24

Officials -- Hartzell, Lusk, Williams

Attendance -- 2,756.

Sports on 12/09/2016

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