ARLINGTON --- The UT Arlington men's basketball team (15-13, 10-7 WAC) overcame a 13-point deficit in the first half behind some strong individual performances to defeat Utah Tech 89-78 inside the College Park Center on Saturday.
 
For the second-consecutive game, the Mavs overcame a double-digit deficit to pick up the win. After a second chance bucket from Aaron Cash gave UTA a 5-3 lead just over two minutes into the game, Utah Tech went on a 15-0 run while holding the hosts scoreless for the next 6:07. Phillip Russell ended the spurt with a nice bucket off the glass just outside the paint with 11:39 left.
 
During the run, Utah Tech made 5-of-11 from the field while forcing five UTA turnovers and holding the Mavs to an 0-for-4 performance from the field.
 
Russell, who ended the 15-0 run, then completed a 22-9 run by the Mavs by knotting the game at 27 apiece with 3:53 left in the half. The Trailblazers responded by taking three leads of three points in the ensuing minutes, including a 34-31 advantage with 1:33 left, but Shemar Wilson made 1-of-2 at the line, and DaJuan Gordon sank a layup on the half's final possession to tie the game at 34 apiece.

Makaih Williams (23) and Russell (20) each notched 20+ points while also combining for nine assists. Gordon, the reigning WAC Player of the Week, tallied his WAC-best 11th double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and a game-high four steals. Wilson contributed 13 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Utah Tech was led by 19 points from Aric Demings.
 
The outcome represented the third consecutive and fourth victory over the past five games for the Mavs, who are now 6-2 in the month of February.

UTA, which clinched a berth in the WAC Tournament with the victory, also remains just one game behind third-place Seattle U (11-6) in the conference standings, which still positions them for a first-round bye in the WAC Tournament with three regular season games left - starting on the road at Seattle U next week.

The Mavs are 6-2 over their last eight games, with their only losses in that stretch coming by a combined three points at California Baptist (64-63) and at home against Tarleton State (80-78). In both of those contests, UTA had chances to win or force overtime in the final seconds.
 
With the win, UTA achieved their 15th win of the season, which is the most for the program since going 17-16 in 2018-19, where they reached the Sun Belt tournament final. All of the 15 wins for the Mavs have come when they score at least 70 points.

The UT Arlington athletic department honored the school's football alumni at halftime from a program that competed at the Division I level from 1959-85. Former players from as far back as 1959 were in attendance, including Texas state senator Royce West.
 

 
BOX SCORE NUGGETS

• The win improves UTA to 15-13 overall and 10-7 in the WAC while Utah Tech falls to 10-16 overall and 6-9 in the WAC. It was the 500th game in program history for the Trailblazers, who began play in 2006-07.
• After scoring just 34 points in the first half, UTA nearly matched that total with 31 points in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
• Cash (6), Koroma (4), Akili Vining (3) and Talbot (3) rounded out UTA's scoring.
• Williams finished just one shy of matching his season-high in scoring, which came Jan. 4 against Tarleton State. It was his third game this year with at least 20 points.
• The Mavs made 33-of-40 from the foul line Saturday, both season-high totals as a team. Russell, meanwhile, produced his fourth 20-plus point effort of the campaign.
• UTA shot .511 (23-of-45) from the field, including a blistering 13-of-23 (.565) in the second half, where they also sank 6-of-11 (.546) from long distance.
• The Mavs bench outscored the Trailblazers 30-12 in large part due to Russell's 20 points.
• Utah Tech out-rebounded UTA 32-26.
• UTA utilized the same starting lineup for the fifth-straight game: Williams, Gaston-Chapman, Gordon, Cash and Wilson.
• Wilson remains the only Mav to start every game this season.
• Williams (5) and Russell (4) combined for over half of UTA's 17 assists as a team. Six others notched at least one apiece.
• Gordon (4) led six Mavs with at least one steal.
• Russell made at least four 3-pointers for the fourth time this year, finishing just one shy of matching his season-high established Feb. 1 at Southern Utah.
• Williams notched at least five assists for the ninth time this season, although it was the first time he's done so since distributing five against Seattle U on Jan. 13.

QUOTABLE
"We started the game off real lethargic again, just like last game. I do really like the way we grinded it out and fought our way back … I'm just happy how this team just grinded it out and fought when they were down. They responded well. There's been some games we haven't responded. I'm happy we're learning how to respond … I thought we did a good job sharing the ball. The second half, we really played hard and tried to guard. We're going to have to do that for 40 minutes from now on. Overall, happy, but we have to get better."
--- UTA Head Coach KT Turner
 

 
GAME FLOW
Utah Tech scored the first five points of the second half and maintained a five-point advantage with 18:25 remaining following a pair of free throws from Demings.
 
Russell responded with back-to-back buckets from long distance to give the Mavs a 42-41 lead - their first since Wilson's layup gave them a 5-3 lead early in the first half.
 
The teams then exchanged leads momentarily, but Gordon sank a pair of free throws following a flagrant foul from Utah Tech's Tanner Christensen for a 44-43 lead.
 
Williams then buried a 3-pointer from the left wing to complete a five-point possession. The Mavs never trailed again, although the visitors pulled within one on three occasions, the last being on a jumper from Jaylen Searles with 14:35 remaining.
 
That's when UTA used a 14-1 run to take a 65-51 lead and control of the game for good. Five Mavs scored during that stretch, highlighted by a deep 3-pointer from Brandyn Talbot with a hand in his face to beat the shot clock, a pair of free throws from Dwayne Koroma, a jumper from Wilson, a layup from Williams and five points from Gordon - including a thunderous fast break dunk to end the spurt.
 
Utah Tech didn't quit, pulling and staying within single digits over a 1:12 stretch, but a pair of free throws from Williams gave the Mavs a 10-point lead with 6:12 left. From there, UTA led by fewer than 10 just once on a 3-pointer from Demings with 1:16 left.
 
THIS AND THAT

• The Mavs are now 11-3 at home this year, marking the first time they have won double-figure contests at the College Park Center since going 13-2 in 2017-18.
• Over the past three games, Gordon is shooting .743 (26-of-35) from the field and .857 from 3-point range (6-of-7).
• UTA is now 3-0 all-time against Utah Tech, including an overtime win last year that has helped the Mavs to a 2-0 series record inside the CPC.
• Gordon's 11 double-doubles tops the WAC individual, four ahead of his teammate, Wilson, in second.
• Saturday represented the 10th time this year that UTA has registered 80+ points against DI competition - compared to just three times total in the previous two regular seasons. In fact, they've also scored 75+ points 15 times this year against DI competition, which was a feat they accomplished just four times all of last season.
• Williams had his consecutive free throw streak snapped at 24, which dated back to Feb. 8 at California Baptist. He entered the game having made 21 in a row before finishing 9-of-10 on the day.

NEXT UP
UTA heads on the road for a pair of games next week, beginning with a 9 p.m. matchup on Thursday, Feb. 29 at Seattle U. They'll then conclude the road portion of their regular season schedule at Utah Valley on Saturday, March 2 at 3 p.m. before returning home to face California Baptist on Thursday, March 7 at 7 p.m. Not only will it be the regular season finale for the Mavs, but it will be senior day.