Feb. 28, 2015

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

By Art Garcia | @ArtGarcia92

ARLINGTON, Texas - Senior guard Lonnie McClanahan scored a game-high 18 points in his final home game, leading UT Arlington to an 82-73 victory over UALR Saturday night at College Park Center.

The Mavericks snapped a two-game losing streak in improving to 16-12 overall and 10-8 in the Sun Belt Conference. The win clinched a spot in the Sun Belt Championship beginning March 12 in New Orleans. UTA also sent its four seniors - McClanahan, guard Jamel Outler, forward Greg Gainey and center Anthony Walker - out on a high note on Senior Night.

"I'm proud of the guys for this," UT Arlington coach Scott Cross said. "Little Rock was probably the hottest team in the league winning five of their last six. Our guys played great offensively in the first half and we got stops down the stretch. There were lulls at times when our intensity was down, but the guys battled and pulled it out."

McClanahan tallied his first double-double of the season - and only the second for UTA - with a career-high 12 assists. The Mavericks tied a season high with five players scoring in double figures, two coming off the bench.

"As seniors we wanted to go out with a bang," McClanahan said. "That's what we told each other before the game. That's what we did."

Freshman guard Erick Neal came up big down the stretch in scoring 15, and didn't miss a shot going 4 of 4 from the floor and 6 of 6 at the line. Freshman reserve guard Kaelon Wilson chipped in 12 points in 26 minutes. Gainey added 11 points and freshman forward Kevin Hervey scored 10.

The Trojans (13-16, 8-11) didn't go away easy despite trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half. UALR took the lead 67-66 on J.T. Thomas' 3-pointer with 4 1/2 minutes remaining.

UTA answered with a 6-0 spurt to go back on top 72-67 going into the final two minutes. Neal helped ice the win with a 30-foot 3-pointer late in the shot clock, as the Mavericks were able to hold to sweep the season series from the Trojans.

"That shot was probably the play of the game," Cross said of Neal's shot that put UTA up 75-69 with 1:24 left. "Way beyond 3-point range. He wants the ball in those types of situations."

After an early deficit, the Mavericks began to assert themselves by driving to the basket and punishing UALR inside. UTA took a 21-12 lead midway through the first half with McClanahan leading the way.

The Trojans closed the gap before another run by UT Arlington. Wilson's steal and vicious breakaway dunk gave the Mavs a 36-25 edge. The advantage reached 13 on Outler's baseline jumper, and UTA went into the half up 40-31.

McClanahan had 16 points at the break on 6-of-7 shooting, along with six assists. The Mavericks were shooting 64 percent (16-25) at the half and enjoyed a commanding 24-4 edge in points in the paint.

NOTES: UTA finished the regular season 9-5 at home. ... The other game with five Mavs in double figures was Jan. 3 against South Alabama. ... UTA clinched at least a .500 record in conference for the fourth consecutive season. ... UTA is fifth in the SBC, one game behind Louisiana (11-7) with two games remaining. The fourth seed (UTA can't get into the top three) receives a first-round bye in the conference tournament.

UP NEXT: At Georgia Southern, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.