CEDAR CITY, UTAH -- The SUU Men's Basketball team returned home for the first time in over a month and played host to the Mavericks of UT Arlington in the America First Event Center. Despite leading by as many as 12 in the first half, the Thunderbirds struggled in the second half and ultimately fell to UTA 86-77.

Head Coach Rob Jeter said

Top T-Birds

• Jaiden Feroah had a phenomenal game for the Thunderbirds, logging a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds to go along with two assists and three blocks.
• Isaiah Cottrell filled up the stat sheet, scoring 13 points, dishing a career-high five assists, pulling down six rebounds, and tacking on three blocks.
• Seven different Thunderbirds scored at least eight points on the night.

HIGHLIGHTS

Game Recap

The Thunderbirds were on fire to start the game, with Feroah blocking UTA's first shot attempt and leading to an and-one for Elijah Duval. SUU then followed that up with four-straight triples from Cottrell, Dylan Jones, Lorenzo Abellar, and Tanner Hayhurst, and the Thunderbirds were up 15-6 six minutes into the ballgame.

UTA responded by going on a 6-0 run of their own, and with 11 minutes remaining in the first half, the T-Birds led 15-12.

Jalen (Roc) Lee made a free throw and knocked down a triple to spark a 9-0 run for the Thunderbirds, and the lead ballooned to 12 for SUU.

The story of the game for UTA was Marcell McCreary, who had 15 of the Mavericks' first 24 points, all from three.

Dylan Jones made a layup to give the Thunderbirds a six-point lead with 47 seconds left in the half. The T-Birds put together a quality defensive possession that ended with Cottrell getting a rebound, but UTA stole a sloppy pass. They finished the layup with the time expiring, and the Thunderbirds headed into the break with a four-point lead.

The second half started with the five-minute stretch that Coach Jeter talks about in his postgame. SUU allowed the Mavericks to go on an 18-2 run to open the second 20 minutes, and suddenly, it was the T-Birds who trailed by 12. With 15:12 remaining in the ball game, the Mavericks had a 55-43 lead.

SUU did all they could to battle back into the game, and with 6:35 remaining, Feroah scored a layup, Tanner Hayhurst made two free throws, and Feroah recorded a massive block that led to an and-one, cutting the deficit to four points. But on the ensuing offensive possession for the Mavericks, a drive led to a wide-open corner three, and UTA buried it, and the Thunderbirds chance at a comeback.

Up Next

SUU will head three hours north on I-15 to take on the top-seeded Utah Valley Wolverines in an in-state rivalry game on Thursday, January 8, at 6:00 p.m.

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