Box Score SAN MARCOS, Texas – Facing a three-point deficit at halftime, UALR (6-7, 1-0 SBC) rallied to shoot 63.2 percent over the final 20 minutes and made several key plays down the stretch to pull out a 63-59 win over Texas State (4-10, 0-1 SBC) on Thursday to open Sun Belt play. Senior Will Neighbour led the Trojans with 20 points, 16 of which came in the second half.
“A much needed win against a well-coached Texas State team,” said head coach Steve Shields after the win. “They're a great rebounding team. They're always going to defend you extremely hard. I thought we were much tougher in the second half – I didn't think we were very tough with the basketball in the opening half. I thought we adjusted well in the second half and I thought it was a very good team effort.”
UALR outrebounded Texas State, who entered the game with the Sun Belt's top rebounding margin, 33 to 25, including 10 to 4 on the offensive glass. Led by sophomore Josh Hagins' career-best matching 19 points, the Trojans held a 24-to-19 edge in bench scoring.
Following a first half that saw the Trojans commit nine turnovers, UALR limited its miscues to three in the second half. In addition to its strong shooting percentage from the floor, UALR knocked down 15 of 17 free throws (88.2 percent) in the second half.
Sophomore DeVonte Smith scored six points, including two late free throws, and finished the night without a single turnover.
UALR's offense wasn't able to get much going in the opening half, hitting just 7 of 27 shots from the floor (25.9 percent) and committing nine turnovers. The Trojans never led in the first half and trailed by as many as nine on a Kendell Ramlal jumper at the 4:24 mark. UALR clawed its way back to shrink the halftime deficit, ending the half on a 5-0 run that was capped by a Hagins 3-pointer with 45 seconds left in the half.
But the Trojans came out aggressive to start the second half. Following a layup by the Bobcats' Phil Hawkins, Neighbour converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to make it a two-point game. Following another Texas State bucket, Neighbour drove the baseline and found junior Ben Dillard for a corner trey that pulled UALR within one. On the Trojans' next possession, senior Leroy Isler drove left and drew the foul, hitting both free throws to give UALR its first lead of the game at 29-28 with 16:18 to play.
From there, UALR grew its lead to four on a couple of free throws by Neighbour that made it 35-31 with 14:11 remaining. But Texas State wouldn't go away, chipping away at the led before a six-point run gave it a three-point lead with 12 minutes to play.
With Texas State leading 44-41, UALR went on a 9-0 run that included five points from Hagins to take a 50-44 lead with 7:56 to play. The Trojans' lead got as low as one on three occasions over the final eight minutes, including a 59-58 score following two Kavin Tillbury free throws. UALR called timeout, but a Hagins jumper rimmed in and out, giving Texas State one last chance to take the lead. However, Neighbour drew a foul on Joel Wright as he drove to the rim with six seconds remaining, giving the ball back to the Trojans. The Bobcats immediately fouled Smith on the inbounds, who calmly drained both free throws to put UALR up three.
The Trojans fouled on the inbounds, sending Naiel Smith to the line for Texas State. He made the first before intentionally missing the second, but the rebound was corralled by Hagins, who was fouled and made both free throws to seal it for UALR.
UALR returns to action on Saturday at 5 p.m. when it continues its road swing with UT Arlington.
