by Don’t look now, but the race for the Heartland Conference men’s basketball championship just got a whole lot more interesting.
Five players scored in double-figures for the UAFS on Saturday as the Lions avenged an earlier loss to St. Edward’s with a dominating 88-72 Heartland Conference win at the Stubblefield Center.
It was an afternoon of upsets in the conference, making it crowded at the top.
UAFS (12-8, 8-4), which was tied for fourth place coming into Saturday’s game, is now one of five teams tied for first place, joining St. Edward’s (16-4, 8-4), Rogers State (14-6, 8-4), Lubbock Christian (11-8, 8-4) and St. Mary’s (12-8, 8-4).
The Lions won their fourth game in a row and swept their four-game homestand, which included wins against Newman, Oklahoma Christian, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and St. Edward’s.
UAFS avenged its loss to St. Edward’s, which beat the Lions 91-88 on Jan. 1 at the Recreation and Convocation Center in Austin, Texas.
Sophomore guard Seth Youngblood (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma) had 21 points to lead the Lions, who led 51-30 at halftime. Junior Kenny Martin had 16 points, sophomore guard Alex Cooper had 13 points, freshman guard DaVaunta Thomas had 13 points and junior forward Dusan Stojanovic had 12 points.
UAFS shot 47 percent from the field (26 for 55) – it was 7-for-18 shooting from 3-point range – and shot 85 percent from the free-throw line (29 for 34). UAFS and St. Edward’s shot a combined 54 free throws.
The Lions out-rebounded the Hilltoppers by 27 rebounds (52-25). Martin had 18 rebounds to top off his double-double, which was a career-high and tied a school record, and Youngblood topped off his double-double with a career-high 10 rebounds,
UAFS, which committed only 7 turnovers, held St. Edward’s to 39-percent shooting from the field (27 for 69). The Hilltoppers shot just 25 percent from 3-point range and only 65 percent from the free-throw line (13 for 20).
Guard Frankie Mgbolu and guard Ramir Burton each had 13 points apiece to lead the Hilltoppers, while forward Trey Lindsey and guard John Gramlich had 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Lindsey and forward Jae Ricketts had 4 rebounds apiece to lead the Hilltoppers.
MEN
UAFS 88, SEU 72
SEU 30 42 — 72
UAFS 51 37 — 88
SEU (16-4, 8-4): Burton 13, Mgbolu 13, Lindsey 12, Gramlich 11, Ricketts 8, Lilley 7, King 3, Gilbert 3, Watkins 2
UAFS (12-8, 8-4): Youngblood 21, Martin 16, Thomas 13, Cooper 13, Stojanovic 12, Branham 8, Harmon 5
