The Southern Utah University men’s basketball team faced off against Tarleton State University on Thursday, Feb. 19. This was the teams’ final matchup of the season. The Thunderbirds held an 11-point lead early in the game, but were unable to control that lead and fell short 78-74.
Southern Utah now falls to 9-18 overall on the season and are 5-9 in conference play. They’ve lost five of their last seven games and are 3-14 on the road.
Tarleton elevates to a 5-9 conference record and a 14-13 overall record. The Texans are 10-4 when playing at home.
First half
The Thunderbirds got off to a hot start, draining their first four shots including three triples. With just over 12 minutes left in the half, the T-Birds were up 23-12, but the flow of the game quickly switched.
The Texans caught fire and went on a 20-4 run. Over this time, the Thunderbirds went 1-11 from the field. This run allowed TSU to gain an eight-point advantage going into halftime.
Second half
The T-Birds were determined to get back in the game, going on a 10-2 run to start the half and cutting the deficit back down to two.
TSU responded after trading baskets over the next eight minutes. They went on a small 6-1 run and gained a 10-point advantage.
The Thunderbirds were able to put up points, but stopping the Texans was a struggle. The lead remained in double digits until Elijah Duval and Isaiah Cottrell put up matching triples and brought the lead back down to four.
Tarleton again pushed back, going on a 5-0 run to lead by nine with under two minutes. The T-Birds had a chance at a comeback after a couple missed free throws, but the clock hit double zeros with the Thunderbirds falling short 78-74
Key stats
– The Texans scored 60 of their 78 points in the paint compared to the Thunderbirds’ 18 points in the paint.
– Tarleton forced 15 turnovers and converted them into 18 points.
– The T-Birds shot 39% from the field, but were great from beyond the arc, shooting 52%.
Top T-Birds
– Duval put on an amazing performance, posting 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
– Cottrell had struggles from the field, but still notched 13 points, a career-high 16 rebounds, a block and a steal.
– Tanner Hayhurst was on the floor for the entirety of the game, scoring 11 points and going 2-3 from three. He also grabbed four assists and three rebounds.
What’s next?
The Thunderbirds will stay in Texas to face Abilene Christian University and play their last road game of the season on Saturday, Feb. 21. Tipoff will be at 2 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
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Author: Andrew Streeter
Photographer: SUU Athletics
Editor: Payson Davis
