ARLINGTON – After facing the preseason Sun Belt Conference favorites to open its league schedule on Thursday, the slate didn't get any easier for the UT Arlington men's basketball team (4-11, 0-2 SBC) Saturday as the Mavericks dropped a 77-64 decision to Georgia Southern (9-6, 1-1 SBC) inside the College Park Center.
 
The Eagles, who are predicted to finish 2nd in the Sun Belt, used a big 2nd-half surge to pull away from the Mavericks. Holding just a 46-43 lead midway through the closing stanza, Georgia Southern embarked on a 7-0 spurt as part of an extended 16-3 run over the ensuing five minutes to create a 62-46 lead, and UTA would get no closer than 13 the rest of the afternoon.
 
Edric Dennis led UTA with 16 points – 13 of which came in the 2nd half – and Andres Ibarguen netted 11 and corralled a team-best six rebounds. David Azore tallied 10 to reach double-figure points in consecutive games for the first time since the opening three contests of the season. Brian Warren just missed reaching double-figure points with nine, and TiAndre Jackson-Young added seven for the Mavericks, who shot 36 percent (22-61) from the floor.
 
After an almost exactly even 1st half on the scoreboard and in the stat department, the 2nd half is where Georgia Southern pulled away. The Eagles shot 62 percent (13-21) from the floor compared with 31 percent (10-32) for the Mavs, and went 4-8 (50 percent) from 3-point range compared with 1-13 (8 percent) for UTA.
 
HEAD COACH CHRIS OGDEN
"We didn't get stops when we needed to in the 2nd half, and that allowed them to pull away. We ran some good sets offensively, and got some open looks, but they just didn't fall. We've been a good free-throw shooting team this year, but we missed some that we usually make as well. We just need to stick with what we do and we believe it will come together for us. Our focus is to be playing our best in February and March."
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
After a slow first three minutes for both teams to open the game, UTA got into an offensive rhythm and created a double-figure lead, 19-9, at the 10-minute mark following a Jackson-Young and-1 finish. However, the Eagles had a response and bounced back with a strong final 10 minutes to create a tie game at the break.
 
Georgia Southern took its first lead since 6-5 with a little over a minute remaining in the 1st half on a 3-pointer, but the Mavs countered with a Dennis triple from the baseline just before the halftime buzzer, and both teams went to their respective locker rooms mired in a 32-32 deadlock.
 
The stats were nearly as even as the score through the first 20 minutes as Georgia Southern shot 42.9 percent (12-28) from the floor compared with 41.4 percent (12-29) for UTA. UTA connected at a 33.3-percent clip (5-15) from 3-point range, while the Eagles went 30.8 percent (4-13). The Eagles finished 4-5 (80 percent) from the free-throw line, and the Mavs went 3-4 (75 percent) to complete the near even stat comparison.
 
The Eagles possess one of the most efficient offenses in the country as their 86 points-per-game average ranks 10th in the nation, and they check in 14th nationally in field-goal percentage at 50.4. UTA did a solid job keeping that offense in check in the opening half, but the Eagles used the strong 2nd half to finish 51 percent (25-49) from the floor for the game.
 
THIS & THAT
Georgia Southern out-rebounded UTA, 36-34 … UTA had 15 2nd-chance points compared with eight for the Eagles … the Eagles had 21 fastbreak points compared with seven for the Mavs … after playing the 7th-hardest non-conference schedule in the nation, UTA began Sun Belt play by facing the preseason top-2 teams in the league … Georgia Southern now leads the all-time series, 5-4, and the two teams have alternated wins and losses each of those nine games.
 
NEXT UP
UTA will hit the road for its first Sun Belt away weekend Jan. 10 and 12 when the Mavericks face Appalachian State first at 6 p.m. Central before taking on Coastal Carolina at 1 p.m. Central.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
In an effort to enhance public safety and the fan experience, for all UTA men's and women's home games this season the College Park Center will implement a clear-bag policy. All purses, containers, backpacks or anything larger than a small clutch bag are prohibited, and items must be placed in a clear tote bag not to exceed 12" x 6" x 12". For more information, fans are encouraged to visit UTAMavs.com/BasketballGameday.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
To secure tickets for upcoming games and find out about additional gameday procedures, log on to UTATickets.com. Additionally, for updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, be sure to follow the men's basketball program on Twitter (@UTA_MBB) and Instagram (@UTA_Hoops).