Feb. 24, 2007
Box Score
Playing without three starters, UT Arlington got a career night from freshman Tommy Moffitt as four players scored in double figures to upset Stephen F. Austin, 69-62, in Southland Conference men's basketball play Saturday afternoon at Texas Hall.
The Mavericks (12-16, 7-8) keep their hopes alive for a top-eight finish in the regular season and a berth in the upcoming O'Reilly Auto Parts Southland Conference Tournament, March 8-11, in Houston. Stephen F. Austin falls to 15-11 overall and 8-6 in the SLC.
With just eight players suited to take the floor on Saturday, UT Arlington played inspired basketball as they played without starters Jermaine Griffin, Rodrick Epps and Cardell Hunter. All three were ejected in Thursday's loss at Sam Houston State and were suspended from Saturday's game.
Moffitt responded to his third career start with a career high 10 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore forward had a career-high 13 rebounds and led the Mavs with a game-high 19 points. Ro'ger Guignard chipped in 11 points and Larry Posey added 10. Terrell Henry had a career-high with nine points and six rebounds.
SFA was led in scoring by Antuane Miller with 15 points and Trevor Guy came off the bench for 14.
"We played with our backs to the wall and we did what we had to do," said UTA men's basketball coach Scott Cross. "We had to win this game and our guys just rallied around the fact we were the underdog. We never let up in the game and I thought we had some guys step up and play extremely hard for 40 minutes."
UTA outrebounded SFA, 42-29, holding the bigger Lumberjacks to seven offensive rebounds.
UTA stretched a 35-34 halftime lead into a 43-38 edge after a free throw by Vereen with 16;14 left in the game. The Mavs, who never trailed in the second half, built the lead to 50-42 after a tip-in by Posey with 12:19 to play.
SFA rallied to cut the lead to five, 53-48, after two Matt Kingsley free throws with 8:10 to play, but UTA responded with five straight points, the last two a layup by Brandon Long to give the Mavs a 58-48 lead with 5:57 left in the game.
UT Arlington canned 6-of-8 free throws in the final 5:00 to secure the win.
Neither team led by more than four points in the first half, but UTA took the lead for good when Matt Read canned a jumper in the paint for a 33-32 lead with 1:21 left in the half.
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