In a back-and-forth shootout that saw nine players score in double digits, the Southern Utah University men’s basketball team took on the University of Nebraska Omaha on Saturday, Nov. 15 in Baxter Arena. Despite putting up a strong fight in the second half, SUU fell 90-85.
The T-Birds now sit at 1-3 and have an 0-2 record on the road. The Mavericks snapped a three-game losing streak, moving to 1-3 with a 1-0 home record.
First half
Omaha started off strong, building a 14-6 lead after SUU missed three straight threes and Tony Osburn sank a triple to force an SUU timeout. SUU cut the lead down to as little as three points, but the Mavericks responded with a 10-0 run to make the score 27-14.
SUU came roaring back with a 10-0 run of their own consisting of a Zach Bell jumper and four straight layups. The game stayed run-heavy as the Mavericks scored eight of the next 10 points. SUU answered back, scoring another 10 straight to take the lead for the first time since the first minute of play.
Omaha scored seven of the next nine points to make the score 42-38 at the half. Both teams shot well from inside the three-point line in the half, with SUU shooting 65.2% and UNO shooting 52.6%. However, SUU shot just 2-13 from three, including nine straight misses to start the half.
Second half
This half was far closer than the first. Neither team held a lead of more than five through the first 19 minutes of the half.
The lead also changed 10 times in the half, as SUU kept it close until the closing seconds. However, the T-Birds’ advantage only rose above two points once, as a three from Bell put SUU up 66-61 with eight and a half minutes to play.
A foul by Omaha’s Khamani Cooper with two minutes left sent Jaiden Feroah to the line where he made both free throws to put SUU up one point. The Mavericks then went on a 10-2 run to go up seven points with 18 seconds left and ice the game, ultimately winning 90-85.
Key stats
— SUU shot 65% from inside the arc, but shot just 25% from three, going 7-28.
— Six players recorded a steal from SUU for nine in total. Omaha had seven, with six coming from Grant Stubblefield.
— Three different players recorded 20 or more points.
— Omaha had 17 fast break points to SUU’s six.
Top T-Birds
— Freshman Cale Barclay was second among all players with 34 minutes, recording 11 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.
— Bell was tied for SUU’s point lead with 20, also recording two steals, a rebound and an assist in 20 bench minutes.
— Elijah Duval recorded 20 points, five assists and four rebounds on 8-10 shooting inside the three-point line.
— Feroah recorded 16 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, a steal and an assist.
Up next
SUU will stay on the road for the next two games. They head to Spokane, Washington to take on No. 19 ranked Gonzaga University on Monday, Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. Then they head south to Pullman, Washington to face Washington State University on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 9 p.m.
Author: Payson Davis
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Jack Paul
