Jan. 5, 2006
Contact: Kyle Stephens (210) 458-4907
Free throws costly as UTSA falls at Southeastern Louisiana, 72-68
Box Score
HAMMOND, La. – Senior Andre Owens scored 17 points but UTSA could not overcome a 6-for-15 shooting performance at the free throw line as Southeastern Louisiana drained 19-of-20 free throws and held on for a 72-68 victory in the Southland Conference for both teams Thursday night at University Center.
The Lions improve to 7-5 overall and 1-0 in the SLC while the Roadrunners fall to 5-7 and 0-1.
Sophomore Roderick Rodgers added 10 points and matched Owens with seven rebounds, while junior Gabe Bernard added nine points. Junior Kyile Byrd (right) and freshman Eric Young were sparks off the bench with eight points apiece.
Ricky Woods posted his eighth double-double of the year with 24 points and 11 boards to lead the Lions. Quennell Green and Terry Bryant added 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Trailing 50-41 with 13 left to play, UTSA used an 8-2 run led by four points from Rodgers to cut the deficit to three, 52-49, at the 9:37 mark. The Lions pushed the lead back out to eight at 59-51 on a Woods 3-pointer with 6:13 remaining.
A jumper by Owens followed by a 3-pointer and a layup from Byrd quickly cut the Lions’ lead down to one with 4:36 left. Owens then gave UTSA its first lead since the first half on a driving layup that made it 60-59 with 3:38 remaining.
Green quickly answered the UTSA run with a deep three from the left corner to give Southeastern Louisiana the lead right back, 62-60.
The Lions would hang on from there, nailing 6-of-6 free throws down the stretch to hold off the Roadrunners, 72-68. UTSA actually cut the deficit to two on a Byrd jumper with 10 seconds left, which first was ruled a 3-pointer but later overturned as he had one foot on the stripe. A layup by freshman Aldric Reynolds pulled UTSA to within 70-68 with 1.4 seconds left but Woods converted his final two freebies to finish the night 11-for-11 from the line.
“When you go on the road in this league, you have to make your free throws,” head coach Tim Carter said. “It’s something we have to work on and fix before Saturday. I don’t think we played with the same intensity as we did last week in Florida and we need to bring it every night in conference.”
With the four-point decision, the last three meetings between the two teams in the facility have been decided by a combined nine points. UTSA won, 87-85, in the semifinal round of the 2004 SLC Tournament, while Southeastern Louisiana grabbed a 69-66 victory in the 2005 regular season.
UTSA overcame a slow start – down 7-2 through the first 2:16 – in the first half, tying the score at 9-9 on an Owens jumper. Sophomore Abe Donlon gave the Roadrunners their first lead at 19-17 with 10:54 left in the half.
A Bernard 3-pointer gave UTSA its largest lead of the game, 24-21, but the Lions broke a 29-29 tie with a 6-2 run to close the half and take a 35-31 lead into the locker room.
The Roadrunners return to action on Saturday at McNeese State. Tip is set for 7 p.m. at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles, La.