Dec. 5, 2009
Final Stats
Des Moines, Iowa - All indications pointed to the Mavericks coming home from the Drake Hy-Vee Classic with the championship trophy as UTA held a seven-point lead with 7:39 to play.
However, their opponent for the title, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, used an 11-0 run over the next three minutes to defeat UT Arlington 71-67.
The Mavericks led 56-49 at that point after a layup by Cameron Catlett but just as the Cougars did the night before in their upset over Drake they took the ball to the basket and took the lead for good with 4:07 to play on a basket by Aamir McCleary.
"We just allowed them to drive to the basket over and over again during that span," UTA head coach Scott Cross said. "We just gave up too many baskets."
Marquez Haynes hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to one with 2:10 to play but that was the closest the Mavericks got the remainder of the way.
UTA had one last chance as they cut the lead to two with 47 seconds to play. A good defensive stand went for nothing as Mark Yelovich hit an off-balance jumper to give the Cougars a four-point lead.
SIU-E shot 53.2% for the game while UTA struggled from the field shooting just 37%.
Yelovich finished the game with a team-high 18 points to lead the Cougars. Haynes led UT Arlington with 30 points.
UTA is now 4-3 while SIU-E improved its record to 2-6.
