MOBILE, Ala. - It was a night of firsts for the ULM men's basketball
team Saturday night in a 67-65 victory against South Alabama inside the
Mitchell Center.
ULM won its first Sun Belt game and first road game of the season
behind the outstanding play of junior guard Fred Brown. Brown weaved through
the Jaguar defense for 25 points, tying his career high for points. Brown finished the game 9-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range.
South Alabama turned the ball over on its final possession as time expired
to seal the win for the Warhawks, who improved to 6-13, 1-4 in the Sun Belt. Brown
hit his fourth 3-pointer of the night to give the Warhawks a 66-63 lead with
2:00 remaining in the game. Martino Brock answered with a jumper to get South Alabama
within one with 1:30 left.
Senior guard Tommie Sykes added a free throw to push the ULM lead to
67-65. The Warhawks had a chance to add to its lead on its next possession, but
Brown missed on a jumper to give the Jaguars the ball back with 6.9 seconds
remaining.
Neither team led by more than three points in the final 15 minutes as
the lead went back-and-forth with seven ties and 12 lead changes.
Sykes recorded the first double-double of the season for the Warhawks
with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while senior forward Lawrence Gilbert chipped
in 14 points. The Warhawks shot 54.8 percent from the field and held a 15-8
advantage in second-chance points.
Gilbert and Sykes each had 12 points in the first half as the Warhawks
built an early 10-point advantage. Gilbert had nine of his points during an
18-9 run for ULM. His layup with 6:17 remaining in the half gave the Warhawks a
29-19 advantage, its largest on the road all season.
The Jaguars (7-9, 1-4 SBC) scored eight points in a span of a minute to erase the ULM
lead behind the play of Brock. Brock dialed up a pair of 3-pointers
back-to-back to spark the run followed by a jumper from Allyn Cooks to get
South Alabama within two at 29-27 with 4:48 to play in the opening half.
South Alabama took the lead at 37-36 on a 3-pointer from Cooks with
1:46 remaining. The Jaguars shot 61.9 percent in the half and led 40-37. The
Warhawks finished the half shooting 52.2 percent from the field to keep it
close.
The Warhawks return home to face North Texas Thursday, Jan. 20, at 7:30
p.m. inside Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
