University of Texas Arlington
Sam Houston State
3/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 3, 2004
ARLINGTON, Texas - Texas-Arlington moved to within a half-game of a share of its first-ever Southland Conference regular season crown with a 81-53 win over Sam Houston State Wednesday night at Texas Hall.
UTA (16-11, 11-5) ties a school record with its eighth straight win and can claim a share of the regular season title for the first time in 40 years with a Texas-San Antonio win over league-leading Southeastern Louisiana on Friday in San Antonio. Sam Houston State falls to 12-14 and 7-8 and stands in an seventh-place tie with Northwestern State. Sam Houston State can earn a trip to next week's SLC Postseason Tournament with a win at home against Lamar or loss by McNeese State(10-16, 6-9).
UTA used a balanced attack as six players - Donny Beacham (15), Keith Howell (14), Derrick Obasohan (13), Jarrett Howell (12), Stephen Floyd (11) and Steven Thomas (10) - scored in double figures. Sam Houston State was led by Chris Jordan with 12 and Othello Alford with 11 points.
As word came across the public address of McNeese State's 71-68 upset win over league leading Southeastern Louisiana, the Mavetricks began to make their final push to put the game away. "Sure we heard (the score)," said Keith Howell. "That is what spurred us on. We knew we had to put this game away."
UTA erupted in the second half and led by 30, 69-39, after a 3-pointer and then a layup by Floyd with 6:19 to play in the game.
UTA led 35-21 at halftime after holding SHSU to 4-of-22 field goal shooting (18.2%) in the first 12:04 of the halftime to build a double-digit lead, 23-12, after a free throw by Stephen Thomas with 7:56 to play. The Mavericks held Sam Houston scoreless for a 5:00 stretch of the half to go on a 9-0 run and stretch an 18-12 lead into a 27-12 edge after a Roy Johnson jumper with 6:28 to play in the half.
NOTES: UTA blocked a season-high nine Sam Houston State shots... The 53 points allowed by UTA ties a season low.
Texas-Arlington 81, Sam Houston State 53 Sam Houston State (53) - Williams 2-5 5-10 9, Auguste 3-11 1-3 7, Stephenson 0-3 0-0 0, Thompson 2-4 2-2 6, Jordan 3-11 3-4 11, Ebow 0-1 2-2 2, Alford 5-14 0-0 12, Dudley 0-1 0-0 0, Onwuchekwa 0-0 0-0 0, Gernander 0-1 0-0 0, Griffin 2-7 0-1 4, Wade 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 18-61 13-22 53.
Texas-Arlington (81) - Beacham 7-8 0-0 15, Obasohan 5-13 3-4 13, Johnson 2-4 0-0 4, J. Howell 4-6 3-4 12, K. Howell 6-14 2-3 14, Dawkins 0-2 0-0 0, Hairfield 0-0 0-0 0, Floyd 3-6 3-4 11, James 0-2 0-0 0, Neukomm 0-0 0-2 0, Thomas 3-8 4-5 10, Henderson 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 31-64 15-22 81.
Halftime: UTA 35, SHSU 21. Three-point field goals: SHSU 4-12 (Jordan 2-6, Alford 2-9, Thompson 0-1, Gernander 0-1, Wade 0-1, Stephenson 0-3), UTA 4-9 (Floyd 2-3, J. Howell 1-2, Beacham 1-1, Obasohan 0-1, Dawkins 0-2). Rebounds: SHSU 39 (Williams, Griffin 6 each), UTA 47 (Beacham, Obasohan and K. Howell 9). Assists: SHSU 12 (Alford 3), UTA 15 (Dawkins 5). Turnovers: SHSU 19 (Jordan 4), UTA 14 (J. Howell 4). Blocks: SHSU 5 (Auguste 3), UTA 9 (Johnson 4). Steals: SHSU 6 (six with one each), UTA 8 (Johnson 3). Total fouls: SHSU 18, UTA 19. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: SHSU bench. Att.: 1,451.
