CEDAR CITY, Utah – UT Arlington men's basketball (7-10, 0-3 WAC) fought back time and time again on Saturday night at Southern Utah (9-8, 1-2 WAC), and even held a 66-65 lead late before ultimately falling 73-68. Forward/center Lance Ware finished with 20 points and eight boards (on 8-of-13 shooting), while guard Brody Robinson added 17 points to go along with six assists for the Mavericks.
 
"I felt like a couple guys played their hearts out," head coach KT Turner said following the game. "We played hard, our guards just didn't make shots tonight. I feel like we got some really good looks and we've got to be able to knock them down. We dug ourselves a hole again, we've got to do better with that. They shot I think 50-52% from the field or something like that and we've got to get better with that. We've just got to get better, point blank."
 
It was a game of runs early, as Southern Utah raced out to an 8-2 lead, but UTA settled in and took the lead back following a 9-2 run of its own, which was capped off by a Ware three-point-play, finishing through contact at the rim. The teams traded buckets until the Thunderbirds stretched it to an 11-point advantage at 31-20, their largest of the night.
 
The Mavericks cut it to three on another 7-0 run, paced by Robinson, who hit a triple and then a pair of free throws. The Thunderbirds eventually got the lead back to five and took the 37-32 advantage into the break. Southern Utah shot 5-of-8 from downtown in the opening half, and 60% from the field.
 
In the second half, UTA was able to cut into the lead further, and got within two on a few occasions, first on a triple from Brandyn Talbot following a scramble for the ball the guard Jaden Wells dug out, making it 43-41. Robinson again pulled the Mavs within a pair with a deep three to make it 50-48.
 
Southern Utah then went on another run, stretching the lead back to 60-51 before a Robinson layup stopped the bleeding. It was then UTA's turn to charge back yet again.
 
A Wells three cut it to one at 60-59, and then the Mavs tied things up at 63-63 on a tough driving finish by Robinson. A Ware free throw gave UTA its first lead since 14-13 in the first half, and again a tough bucket inside from Ware made it 66-65 in favor of the Mavs with 2:50 to play. But an 8-3 run following a couple of UTA turnovers and a massive three-pointer from SUU's Jamir Simpson led to the Thunderbirds holding on for the five-point win.
 
The Mavs return home to the College Park Center to host Utah Valley (11-6, 3-0 WAC) on Thursday, Jan. 16. That game tips off at 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ESPN+, and on the radio on the Varsity App, 102.5 FM and KTNO 620 AM with the Voice of the Mavs, Josh Sours. The Wolverines won their third straight conference game on Saturday, knocking off Cal Baptist 75-69.


   
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