SUN BELT
UALR 72,
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 61, OT
Losers of 11 of its previous 12 games, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (7-24, 4-14) dropped conference champion Louisiana-Lafayette (26-5, 16-2) in overtime at the Cajundome in Lafayette. The Trojans trailed by as much as 47-37 with 7:57 left in the second half, but they stormed back and took a 53-51 lead on Ryan Pippins’ three-pointer with 13 seconds remaining. The Ragin’ Cajuns missed a three-pointer but got possession when the rebound went out of bounds.
Louisiana-Lafayette’s Malik Marquetti was then fouled with a second remaining in regulation. He hit both free throws to force overtime with the score tied 53-53.
The Trojans outscored the Ragin’ Cajuns 14-8 to start overtime and made 5 of 6 free throws in the final 33 seconds to clinch the victory.
UALR, last in the Sun Belt, was coming off a 48-44 loss Thursday night at Louisiana-Monroe.
ARKANSAS STATE 83,
LOUISIANA-MONROE 79
Arkansas State University (11-20, 6-12 Sun Belt Conference) opened an 18-point halftime advantage then had to hang on in its victory over Louisiana-Monroe at Fant-Ewing Coliseum in Monroe.
The Red Wolves lost their 50-32 halftime lead when Louisiana-Monroe’s Sam Alabakis made a layup with 5:02 left in to give the Warhawks a 70-68 lead.
They pushed the advantage to four points seconds later on a Jordan Harris jumper.
ASU fought back to regain a 73-72 lead on Rashad Lindsey’s layup with 3:24 remaining, lost the lead once, then never trailed again when Tristin Walley hit two free throws at the 2:21 mark to make it 75-74.
Walley and Ty Cockfield hit two free throws apiece in the game’s final 10 seconds for the Red Wolves, who led for 35 minutes.
Walley led all players with 23 points and nine rebounds. Lindsey was 8 of 8 from the field and finished with 17 points. Cockfield had 16 for the Red Wolves, and reserve Grantham Gillard added 11 more on 4-of-5 shooting.
Louisiana-Monroe’s Sam McDaniel led the Warhawks with 24 points. Michael Ertel added 18.
SOUTHLAND
CENTRAL ARKANSAS 61,
NORTHWESTERN (LA.) ST. 58
Jordan Howard scored six of the University of Central Arkansas’ final eight points with Mathieu Kamba adding the final basket to seal the Bears’ victory over Northwestern (La.) State (4-25, 1-17 Southland) at the Farris Center. Howard’s two free throws and layup gave the Bears (16-15, 10-8) a 57-54 lead with 2:13 to play. After a turnover, the Demons fouled Howard again with 1:10 left. The two free throws gave the Bears a 59-54 advantage with 1:10 remaining.
Deandre Love’s offensive rebound and putback got Northwestern State to within 59-58 with 49 seconds left, but Kamba gave UCA a three-point lead on a layup off a Deandre Jones assist with 24 seconds remaining.
Ishmael Lane missed a three-pointer that was rebounded by Matthew Mondesir to clinch the Bears’ victory.
Howard’s 9 of 9 free-throw shooting spurred a game-high 26 points by the UCA senior. He also added a team-high seven rebounds. Mondesir was 7 of 9 at the free-throw line and finished with 13 points as the Bears made 22 of 27 free throws (81.5 percent).
C.J. Jones, Czar Perry and Love all had 11 points to lead the Demons.
The score was tied six times and the lead changed hands seven times.
The Demons outscored the Bears 14-5 in second-chance points and 40-26 in points in the lane.
SWAC MEN
ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 94,
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ST. 57
The University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff (12-20, 12-6 Southwestern Athletic) had little problem in its regular-season finale against Mississippi Valley State (4-27, 4-14) at H.O. Clemmons Arena in Pine Bluff.
The Golden Lions opened a 42-25 halftime advantage and never looked back. They forced 24 Delta Devils turnovers and converted them into 34 points.
Martaveous McKnight led the Golden Lions with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field. Joe’Randle Toliver had 16 points, Trent Steen 14 and Quamauri Hardy chipped in 13.
Mississippi Valley State’s Dante Scott led all scorers with 20 points.