MONROE, La. – Despite another near 30-point performance from David Azore, UT Arlington (9-14, 5-7 SBC) nearly overcame a double-figure 2nd-half deficit but dropped its seventh Sun Belt Conference contest of the season by single digits with a 74-71 setback at ULM (13-12, 5-8 SBC) Thursday night inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
 
UTA found itself down by 11, 50-39, with just over 16 minutes remaining before cutting its deficit to two on five different occasions and only one, 72-71, with 7.7 seconds showing. After a pair of ULM free throws extended its lead back to three, 74-71, Azore had a decent look at a potential overtime-forcing 3-pointer from the wing in front of the UTA bench, but – seemingly fitting for the Mavs' conference season – it just fell short.
 
Had that basket gone, Azore would have recorded his fifth 30-point game in conference play this year, but instead he finished just one point shy at 29 – four above his conference-leading average in Sun Belt action – as he led the Mavericks in scoring for the 14th time in 20 opportunities. He also corralled a team-high-tying six rebounds and issued three assists in 38 minutes.
 
Freshman Montez Young Jr. recorded eight points in just 10 minutes of action – his most points against a Division-I opponent in his career. After scoring five total points since Jan. 20, Shemar Wilson stepped up with eight points and team-high-equaling six rebounds – his most points since Jan. 1 and tied for his most rebounds since Dec. 30. Both Young Jr. and Wilson came off the bench.
 
BOX SCORE NUGGETS

• Azore moved into sole possession of 10th place on the program's all-time scoring list with now 1,265 career points.
• He went 11-12 from the free throw line – his second game of double-figure makes from the charity stripe this season – as he moved within nine makes of sole possession of 3rd place on the program's career free throws made list.
• Javon Levi scored seven points, pulled down six rebounds and issued a team-best five assists.
• Patrick Mwamba posted seven points, four rebounds and three assists.
• Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu recorded one block to move into a tie for 4th place on the program's career blocked shots list with Trey Parker (113 blocks in 83 games). Akobundu-Ehiogu has 113 blocks in only 41 games with UTA.
• UTA shot 50 percent (25-50) from the floor, but allowed ULM to connect at a 52-percent rate (28-54).
• The Mavs won the battle on the boards, 32-23; however, they committed 17 turnovers compared with ULM's 10.
• Reigning Sun Belt Player of the Week Andre Jones led ULM with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
• Elijah Gonzales tallied 16 points, while Koreem Ozier played all 40 minutes and finished with 10 points as the Warhawks won their third-straight game.

GAME FLOW
A quick start for both offenses eventually yielded to UTA creating a seven-point lead, 22-15, at the 11:30 mark following an Azore 3-pointer. However, ULM answered with an 11-0 run over the next 4+ minutes to jump in front, 26-22; that was part of a larger 16-2 surge by the Warhawks to take a 31-24 advantage five just over five minutes left.
 
ULM maintained that seven-point edge, 38-31, inside of two minutes before the Mavs closed the opening stanza on a 7-2 stretch to pull within 40-38 at the half. UTA connected at a 48-percent clip (14-29) from the floor in the 1st half, including a 42-percent rate (5-12) from 3-point range, but the Mavs allowed the Warhawks to shoot it at a 57-percent clip (17-30) and an equaling 42 percent (5-12) from beyond the arc.
 
However, that strong close to the 1st half by UTA was countered by a strong start to the 2nd half for ULM as the Warhawks blitzed the Mavs out of the locker room, scoring 10 of the first 11 points to take a 50-39 lead, prompting a timeout from the visitors at the 16:18 mark.
 
The Mavs had a rebuttal and methodically chipped away before pulling as close as two on multiple occasions – the second coming following a pair of Azore free throws with nine minutes left to make it a 57-55 differential. ULM forged back in front by as much as seven, 66-59, inside of five minutes before the Mavs mounted a late surge.
 
QUOTABLE
"I liked our fight all night, but we just don't defend well enough at an elite level to win right now. We're giving up too many easy baskets, too many high-percentage shots and we just don't value the ball. But we're going to keep fighting and building this the right way."
 
– UTA Head Coach Greg Young
 

THIS AND THAT

• UTA's seven Sun Belt losses have been by an average of 4.5 points.
• Every conference game for UTA has been decided by 12 points or less.
• This is the first time UTA has been swept in the regular season by ULM since 2016 – the only such occurrence in nine years with both schools as Sun Belt members.

NEXT UP
UTA will conclude its road swing through Louisiana on Saturday when the Mavs take on the Ragin' Cajuns at 2 p.m. Louisiana is 5-7 in the Sun Belt following an 82-73 loss at home to Texas State earlier on Thursday.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
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