ARLINGTON, Texas -- After trailing by as many as 19 points in the first half, the ULM men's basketball team trimmed UT Arlington's lead to one point with nine minutes remaining in the game but ultimately fell 77-68 on Saturday (Dec. 14) afternoon at the College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

Senior forward Makai Willis scored a game-high 18 points and pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds while Jalen Bolden secured career-highs in rebounds (15) and assists (7) to go along with 13 points. Tyreese Watson finished with 15 points and added six boards and four assists while Coltie Young netted 13 points and two boards.

ULM (4-8) outrebounded UTA (5-6) 46-32 and grabbed 10 more offensive rebounds than the Mavs. UTA shot 47% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc while ULM posted 39% shooting from the field and 26% from 3-point range. The Mavs generated 33 bench points and 21 fastbreak points.

Young cashed in ULM's first 3-pointer of the game with 14:47 remaining in the first half that made the score 10-5 in favor of UTA. ULM was held scoreless over a six-minute period in which UTA went on a 13-0 scoring run. A three-point play by Bolden brought ULM within 10 points at the 2:36 mark of the first half. The Mavs would score seven unanswered points and pushed the lead to 40-23 with just over a minute remaining. Watson threw up a halfcourt shot that fell at the buzzer to bring ULM within 15 points at the break.

ULM cut into the Mavs' lead early in the second half by going on a 9-0 scoring run that featured a layup and a 3-pointer by Young and two second-chance layups by Willis that put ULM within four points of the lead. A Jacob Wilson 3-pointer on a fastbreak slimmed the Mavs' lead to just one point with 10:46 left in the half. Bolden sank a jumper to keep the deficit to one point at 9:03 left. The Warhawks' offense was kept in check as the Mavs held ULM scoreless for over four minutes as UTA regained a double-digit lead. ULM whittled away at the UTA lead and went on an 8-0 scoring run that made it a two-possession game with 2:39 on the clock. UTA held on for a 77-68 home win.

The ULM men's basketball team will finish non-conference play on Tuesday (Dec. 17) night at home versus Houston Christian at 7:30 p.m.