Box Score Jan. 9, 2014
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ARLINGTON, Texas - Junior guard Lonnie McClanahan scored a career-high 25 to lead UT Arlington to a much-needed 83-79 overtime victory Thursday afternoon over the University of Louisiana at Monroe at College Park Center.
The Mavericks (6-9) won their first Sun Belt Conference game, improving to 1-2 in league play. UT Arlington hits the road for Saturday's 1 p.m. Sun Belt clash at UL Lafayette.
"It's encouraging to get to get a win," UT Arlington coach Scott Cross said. "I don't know if I can separate one kind of win over the other. I just hate losing. I'm very thankful these guys found a way to win."
McClanahan picked up the scoring slack in senior guard Reger Dowell's absence by repeatedly slicing through the Warhawks' defense. McClanahan made 9 of 19 shots and dished out seven assists.
"I just had to step up," said McClanahan, whose previous high was 22 points. "My teammates were behind me the whole way. They said, 'We need you. You've got to get buckets.'"
Senior guard Shaquille White-Miller knocked down a huge 3-pointer with 1:18 left in OT to give the Mavericks a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Junior guard Jamel Outler scored 20 and made five 3-pointers. Senior forward Brandon Edwards had 17 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
"We know we can win now," Edwards said. "It will help us momentum-wise going on the road.".
The Mavericks had two chances to win at the end of regulation. Outler had three free throws needing to make two with 1.3 seconds left, but he missed the last two shots after making the first. Outler had given UTA a 70-69 lead with a 3-pointer with 21 seconds left.
UTA was without leading scorer Dowell, who is out with an injured thigh. The senior guard was hurt in Saturday's loss to UALR.
The Mavericks opened the game with a consecutive 3-pointer from Edwards and Outler to take a quick 6-0 lead. ULM took its first lead at 14-13 midway through the first half.
The Warhawks (4-6, 1-1) would go up 20-15 before UTA countered with an 8-2 run punctuated by White-Miller's 3-pointer to retake the lead. The Mavericks finished the first half on Edwards' 3-pointer and took a 38-34 advantage into the locker room.
Outler connected on three 3-pointers in the half and scored 10. McClanahan added eight points and five assists. Junior center Anthony Walker had four points on two dunks and three boards off the bench.
ULM shot 54.2 percent (13-24) from the floor in the first half, including 55.6 percent (5-9) from beyond the arc. Amos Olatayo paced the Warhawks with 11 points at the break and 25 for the game.
ULM took its first lead of the second half (53-52) with less than 11 minutes to play. McClanahan's fastbreak layup put the Mavericks back on top and Outler's short jumper gave UTA a 56-53 edge.
Edwards drilled a 3-pointer from the corner to vault the Mavericks back ahead 65-63 with less than four minutes remaining. The teams traded the lead until ending regulation knotted up.
