MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Nika Metskhvarishvili poured in 16 points, while
Tyreke Locure and
Tyreese Watson added 13 points apiece as ULM topped Central Michigan, 74-64, Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Arena in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge.
ULM hit nearly 50% of its shots, going 29-of-60 for 48.3%. The Warhawks buried 10 3-pointers on the afternoon, with Metskhvarishvili, Locure and Watson accounting for seven of them.
Metskhvarishvili hit 7-of-11 shots from the field while adding three rebounds and three assists. Locure tracked down a team-high six rebounds and handed out six assists. Watson was 5-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range in the win.
Anthony Pritchard paced three Chippewas in double figures with 15 points, while Markus Harding added 14 points and Aidan Rubio had 12 as CMU shot 41% (22-of-54) from the field and 36% (10-of-28) from 3-point range.
CMU had the fast start, but ULM responded from there. CMU went up eight, 12-4, with 15:52 left in the first half. However, the Warhawks responded with an 11-0 run, fueled by a 3-pointer by Locure and capped on back-to-back buckets by
Makai Willis, to go on top 24-17 with 6:37 left before halftime. CMU never saw the lead again.
ULM stretched the lead to eight, 34-26, on a dunk by Watson at the 3:09 mark of the half. It briefly touched nine on Metskhvarishvili's putback with 41 seconds remining before the break. The Warhawks led 38-31 at halftime.
Metskhvarishvili set the tone for the second half with the first five points out of the locker room, knocking down a 3-pointer on the opening possession and then connecting on a jumper in the paint to extend the lead to 12, 43-31, at the 17:33 mark.
CMU responded with a 7-0 run to cut the gap to five, 43-38, on Pritchard's layup with 13:27 to go. Watson put an end to the charge with a trey on the next possession to go back up by eight, 46-38.
The Chippewas closed as close as two at 53-51 when Brian Taylor hit a triple with 9:15 left. However, a 9-2 spurt for ULM, including treys from
Jalen Bolden and Metskhvarishvili, pushed the lead right back to nine, 62-52 with 5:29 to play, with CMU never threatening again.
ULM returns to action at 6:30 p.m. Thursday against Louisiana Tech at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
