Joe Foley was brief with his opening statement Thursday afternoon.
"I guess when you start a game like that, that's kind of what you deserve."
Foley had plenty to reflect upon considering his University of Arkansas-Little Rock team went nearly six minutes without a point in the opening quarter. It didn't help that Texas State's Da'Nasia Hood had singlehandedly outscored the Trojans in the first half 21-18.
There was also the 8-2 burst the Bobcats had at the start of the second half that stretched their lead to as many as 19 points.
The Trojans could've wiped it all away. But UALR could not complete the comeback in its first-ever triple-overtime contest, falling 69-65 to Texas State at the Jack Stephens Center in a game that tipped off before lunchtime. While the Trojans were slated to host 2,000-plus students for their annual School Day game, every group canceled because of covid-19 concerns.
That didn't stop the hosts from treating a listed crowd of 1,665 to a mid-day thriller, with Sali Kourouma and Dariel Johnson combining for 23 of 32 points in the second half to will UALR out of a 39-20 hole.
"My message [at halftime] was, 'You better get to the rim,' " a frustrated Foley said afterward. " 'Otherwise, this game isn't going to change.' And we did."
The Trojans chipped away, opening the fourth quarter on an extended 12-3 run to pull to 48-45 with five minutes remaining. They forced back-to-back shot-clock violations, and after getting a free throw, UALR (8-7, 3-2 Sun Belt Conference) tied things for the first time since the opening minute on a driving layup by Kourouma to make it 48-48.
After the Trojans traded buckets with the Bobcats, they worked the clock down, setting up a last-second shot for Azaria Robinson, who was fouled.
The Alaska native and New Mexico transfer missed both at the line, however, and Texas State (9-11, 4-4) couldn't convert on its end in the final five seconds, sending things to bonus basketball at 50.
UALR looked on its way to victory in overtime after going down three, getting a driving layup from Mayra Caicedo and a line-drive short-corner jumper by Kourouma to pull ahead 56-55 with 49 seconds left. And the Trojans were all but assured of a win when Angelique Francis hauled down the rebound of a Bobcat layup with the clock ticking under four seconds.
But Texas State's Sierra Dixon ripped the ball right from Francis' hands before she could even move, putting home a layup with 1.1 seconds left.
Giving away multiple opportunities to win is what had Foley most frustrated postgame.
"They didn't get done," Foley said when asked about his team's effort.
UALR dug its way out of a 61-57 hole in double-overtime, tying things on a Johnson right corner jumper with 8.3 seconds left and stymieing another late-clock Texas State possession.
The Trojans couldn't do the same in the third extra session, running out of steam. Johnson played all 55 minutes and Caicedo sat for only 59 seconds.
"We've got a long way to go," Foley said. "At the end of the game, we didn't execute. So we've got to grow up a little bit."
Texas State;M;FG;FT;O-R;PF;A;PTS
Thompson;40;2-3;1-4;0-7;3;2;5
Hood;51;12-20;4-5;1-11;2;0;30
Taylor;55;3-8;2-2;0-3;2;10;9
Dickson;44;5-15;1-2;0-5;1;2;12
Bowie;42;3-7;3-5;0-5;5;2;10
Johnson;10;0-0;0-0;0-3;2;0;0
Standifer;28;1-5;0-0;1-2;2;0;3
Reed;5;0-1;0-0;0-1;3;0;0
Team;;;;2-9;;;
Totals;275;26-59;11-18;4-46;20;16;69
PCT — FG 44.1, FT 61.1. 3-PT — 6-15, 40.0 (Hood 2-5, Bowie 1-2, Dickson 1-2, Standifer 1-3, Taylor 1-3). BL — 0. TO — 28 (Taylor 6, Thompson 6). ST — 10 (Thompson 4).
UALR;M;FG;FT;O-R;PF;A;PTS
Johnson;55;6-14;2-2;2-9;2;1;15
Francis;25;3-7;3-4;4-9;1;1;9
Potter;27;1-7;0-0;0-1;2;2;2
Harvey;38;2-7;1-2;0-1;2;4;5
Caicedo;54;4-10;3-4;0-7;4;4;11
Kourouma;44;9-20;3-7;0-6;2;2;21
Robinson;31;1-5;0-4;1-3;3;0;2
Eddins;1;0-0;0-0;0-0;0;0;0
Team;;;;1-4;;;
Totals;275;26-70;12-23;8-40;16;14;65
PCT — FG 37.1, FT 52.2. 3-PT — 1-12, 8.3 (Johnson 1-4, Caicedo 0-3, Kourouma 0-3, Harvey 0-1, Potter 0-1). BL — 5 (Robinson 3). TO — 17 (Kourouma 6). ST — 10 (Caicedo 3, Johnson 3, Kourouma 3).
Texas State;18;13;14;5;7;4;8—69
UALR;7;11;15;17;7;4;4—65
Officials — Drake, Klomfas, Smith
Attendance — 1,665
UALR’s Azaria Robinson (left) blocks a shot by Texas State’s Ja’Kayla Bowie during the Trojans’ loss Thursday at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock. More photos available at arkansasonline.com/128ualr. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Thomas Metthe)Gallery: UALR vs Texas State Women's Basketball
