Feb. 10, 2010
Final Stats
Lake Charles, La. - LaMarcus Reed and Dwight Gentry each scored 13 points to lead UT Arlington to a 70-58 victory over McNeese State.
The game was a tail of two halves as the Mavericks (13-9, 5-4 Southland) had control of the first half leading 40-22 at the break but then struggled in the final 20 minutes.
UTA shot 52% in the first half but then just 33% in the second half. That allowed McNeese State (8-15, 3-6 Southland) to get back into the game and that started right after halftime.
"That was our best half of the season in the first half," UT Arlington head coach Scott Cross said. "We needed to just change a few things in the second half. I knew there would be a lull in the second half, but we were able to overcome that."
The Cowboys scored the first eight points of the second half to cut the lead to 10 at 40-30. After the Mavericks increased the lead back to 17, McNeese got back into the game and trailed by eight on three occasions but the Mavericks answered each of those baskets to hold onto their lead.
LaMarcus Reed made two free throws to keep the lead at 10 and after a McNeese turnover, Dwight Gentry made one of two from the line and the Mavericks led by 11 at 65-54. From there they never led by less than that total.
UTA held McNeese to just 30% from the field as they made just 19-of-63 as they won for a season-high fifth consecutive time.
UT Arlington's Marquez Haynes came into the game as the second-leading scorer in the nation, was held to a season-low 12 points.
"We'll take what the defense gives us," Cross said. "They were trying to stop Marquez and Brandon Long and they did a good job doing that. It's a credit to our others guys to step up and score."
Tommy Moffitt added 10 points and eight rebounds for UTA.
