Box Score ST. GEORGE, Utah – UT Arlington men's basketball (14-8, 6-4 WAC) dropped a heartbreaker to Utah Tech (14-11, 7-4 WAC), 87-84, in a hotly-contested double-overtime game on Thursday night at Burns Arena. It was the second straight game in which UTA forced overtime after erasing a double-digit second-half deficit but ultimately came up short.
Trailblazers guard Chance Trujillo, who scored a career-high 22, hit the game-winning 3-pointer from just left of the top of the key with 1.8 seconds left in the second overtime. A desperation half-court heave at the buzzer by UTA hit the back iron as the Mavs dropped their second straight conference contest.
UTA had the final possession in both regulation and the initial overtime, but missed a pair of tough driving shots in the lane, by
Cash Chavis in regulation and by
Raysean Seamster in OT. Utah Tech had leveled the scores with just 5.8 seconds left in regulation and 10.4 ticks remaining in the first overtime.
Seamster finished with a game-high 25 points on 11 of 19 shooting from the floor. He also contributed a team-best 10 rebounds to secure his second career double-double. His stat line also included five assists, two steals and a blocked shot in 44 minutes of action.
Tyran Mason added 17 points, just two shy of his season best, while
Cameron Jackson chipped in 10. The trio of top scorers were a combined 22-for-35 from the field. UTA had 50 points in the paint.
A 10-0 Trailblazers run in the early stages of the second half turned a 40-38 UTA lead into a 48-40 Utah Tech advantage. The deficit reached as many as 10 before the Mavericks chipped away down the stretch.
UTA held a one-point lead at halftime, 34-33. The first half was a back-and-forth battle with neither team leading by more than four. The opening 20 minutes saw 12 lead changes and four ties. This was just the second loss for UTA (10-2) when leading at half.
Both games in the series have been decided by four or fewer points as UTA won 56-52 in St. George last month. The two teams will meet for the third time in Arlington on Thursday, Feb. 19.
The Mavs remain on the road at Utah Valley (17-6, 7-3 WAC) on Saturday, Feb. 7. That game tips off at 3 p.m. CT from UCCU Arena in Orem, Utah, and will be broadcast live on the radio on the Varsity Network App with the Voice of the Mavs, Josh Sours.
– #BuckEm –
FOLLOW ALONG
For updates, behind-the-scenes photos, videos and more engaging and personal content, follow the men's basketball program on X (formerly Twitter) (@UTAMavsMBB), Instagram (@UTAMavsMBB) and Facebook (/UTAMavsMBB).
