CBE CLASSIC : Akron turnover lets UALR take victory
Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006
LUBBOCK, Texas — UALR’s defense finally got the stop it needed in the closing seconds Monday as the Trojans held on to upset Akron 81-79 in the first round of the College Basketball Experience Classic at United Spirit Arena.
UALR led almost the entire game and had to survive several late runs by Akron, which was the preseason pick to win the Mid-American Conference and entered Monday’s game listed as a 10-point favorite by Las Vegas sportsbooks.
The Trojans’ reward is a nationally televised game at 9 p. m. tonight against Texas Tech on ESPN 2.
“I’m really proud of our guys ’ resiliency and toughness and not breaking,” UALR Coach Steve Shields said.
UALR led 80-75 with one minute to play but Akron’s Nick Dials and Quade Milum scored to cut the lead to one. Then UALR’s Terrance Akins threw the ball to Akron’s Romeo Travis and the Zips had the ball out of bounds with 34 seconds remaining and the shot clock turned off.
“I just told them we were still fine because we were up one,” Shields said. “I thought the pressure was at the other end of the floor. Any time you have a situation like that and guys coming to the bench, you see self-doubt on guys’ faces after we had turned the ball over. I couldn’t be more proud of our seniors. They believe in what’s going on.”
Akron waited to make its move until six seconds were left. Dials, guarded by De’Andre Eggins, drove right and tried to get to the basket. Eggins, playing with four fouls, was standing straight up as he defended, trying to avoid contact. But Dials lost the ball near the right block. The ball squirted free to Lorenzo Razz, who grabbed it for UALR.
“We just kind of messed up. We were trying to get some penetration, maybe a dump off. Then we fumbled it. So, not a very good play,” Akron Coach Keith Dambrot said.
Razz was fouled with 2. 8 seconds remaining and the Trojans still leading 80-79.
“I wasn’t nervous. I just wanted our team to win,” said Razz, who missed the first free throw but made the second for an 81-79 lead. UALR then survived a half-court heave by Dials at the buzzer.
The defensive stop was the one UALR (2-0 ) lacked late in several games last season as it finished 14-15.
“We were fortunate tonight. We know that,” Shields said.
Akins led UALR with 20 points, making 6 of 12 three-pointers.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for the Akron guards. They’re tough. I just wanted to come out and play my hardest,” said Akins, who played in only two games last season because of a broken foot. “I was trying to be more aggressive because we needed someone to step up. I thought I’d try to be the guy.”
Steven Moore had 17 points, while Eggins had 13. Rashad Jones-Jennings had 11 points and 9 rebounds. Jones-Jennings also went 4 of 4 from the free-throw line in the final 1: 51.
Akron (0-1 ) was led by Romeo Travis’ 21 points.
Akron outshot UALR (51 percent to 46 percent ) and had fewer turnovers (11 to 19 ). But the Trojans held a 36-24 advantage in rebounding, including 15-7 in offensive rebounds.
Though UALR’s defense struggled at times, the Trojans kept their opponent to fewer than 80 points for the 39 th consecutive game, dating back to a five-overtime game during the 2004-2005 season.
“We just weren’t very good defensively. We had a hard time guarding them,” Dambrot said. “That’s the thing that disappoints me. We had trouble with 10 [Akins ], we had trouble with 3 [Moore ]. We didn’t make any big plays when it mattered. They just wanted it more than us, I think.”
UALR led 11-2 early before Akron chipped away, finally taking a 26-25 lead on a three-pointer by Cedric Middleton with 8: 24 remaining in the half. Akron built a 30-25 lead before UALR rallied. Razz put back a miss by Rashad Moss and Moore tied it with a three-pointer.
The game was still tied 30-30 with 2: 59 remaining when Akron’s Nate Linhart fouled Eggins, then picked up a technical foul for protesting. It was Linhart’s fourth foul and Eggins hit all four free throws after a timeout for a 34-30 UALR lead. The Trojans led 39-35 at halftime.
Akron scored the second half’s first six points to take a 41-39 lead. Akins then went to work, pulling up in transition for a three-pointer for a 42-41 lead with 18: 05 remaining.
UALR held the lead for the next 14 minutes until Akron tied it 70-70 with 4: 38 remaining on a three-pointer by Dru Joyce.
UALR responded again. Eggins cut inside on the baseline and muscled in a bank shot with 3: 54 remaining, then Moore hit two free throws.
The Trojans led 76-75 when they threw it inside to Jones-Jennings, who was fouled to avoid a layup. He made both free throws with 1: 51 to play for a 78-75 lead. Byron Ray missed two free throws but Jones-Jennings grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 1: 02 remaining. He made both free throws for the 80-75 lead. UALR WOMEN VS. SOUTHERN ARKANSAS WHERE Jack Stephens Center WHEN 7 tonight RECORDS UALR 1-0; SAU 0-0 SERIES SAU leads, 13-5 RADIO KWBF-FM 101. 1 ADMISSION Prices range from $ 6 to $ 35
GAME INFORMATION COACHES Joe Foley (34-49 in fourth season at UALR, 489-130 in 19 years overall as a head coach ). Sam Biley (109-180 in 12 th season at SAU ). KEEP AN EYE ON UALR working out early-season kinks against outmanned Southern Arkansas. The Trojans opened the season Friday with a 66-55 victory over Creighton despite Jocelyn Love being held scoreless. NOTEWORTHY Senior Jocelyn Love, a preseason Sun Belt Conference selection who led the team in scoring the last two seasons, is 14 points shy of setting a school career scoring record. She has scored 1, 271 points. Alicia Cash is the current leader with 1, 284.... Sophomore Rene Renz made 12 of 15 shots from the field in scoring a game-high 27 points against Creighton.... True freshman Kim Sitzmann, who played at Cabot High School, had 10 assists in her college debut.
— Beck Cross
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