ABILENE, TEXAS -- The SUU Men's Basketball team had a double-digit lead in the second half over the Wildcats, but once again could not hold on and pull out the victory. The T-Birds fall to 9-19 on the year and 5-10 in WAC play.

Head Coach Rob Jeter said

"It has been the same story all season long, we just have to take better care of the basketball. We had 15 turnovers in the second half, it is really hard to win that way. We have to regroup and prepare for the final three games at home."

Top T-Birds

• Logan Stephens went off for a career-high 20 points on 5-7 from the field and a perfect 3-3 from deep. 
• Elijah Duval continued his impressive conference play, scoring 19 points on 8-13 from the field to go along with two rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block.
• Three-point sharp-shooter Tanner Hayhurst dropped in 16 points on a perfect 3-3 from deep.
• Jaiden Feroah had a quality all-around game, scoring 12 points, corralling three rebounds, dishing three assists, snatching four steals, and blocking two shots.

HIGHLIGHTS

Game Recap

The Thunderbirds once again started the game on fire. Making nine of their first 12 shots from the field, including three deep balls.

With seven minutes to play in the first half, a transition trey ball from Duval gave SUU a 14-point lead.

ACU closed with a few made baskets, and the T-Birds went into the halftime break leading 48-38.

In the first five minutes of the second half, SUU only recorded five shot attempts and had six turnovers.

And with 13 minutes left in the game, ACU had cut SUU's lead to just two points.

The T-Birds held off the Wildcats from taking the lead for a few more minutes, but eventually ACU grabbed a two-point lead with just under 10 minutes to play.

The ACU lead reached as high as six points at multiple points in the remaining 10 minutes, and with 27 seconds left, the Wildcats led by six.

Logan Stephens knocked down a triple to cut the lead in half, and then the Wildcats went 1-2 from the free throw line on the next possession. Elijah Duval sprinted the length of the floor and knocked down a tough floater to make a two-point game with seven seconds left. Stephens stole the inbounds pass and dished to Duval, who took it to the rim and had a great look at a layup that just rolled off the front of the rim, and SUU's chances were over.

Statistical Recap

The Thunderbirds were outstanding shooting the basketball. Making 29 shots of 50 attempts for a 58 FG%, and they made 9-13 three-point attempts.

It seems impossible that SUU could lose a game shooting that well from the field and from deep, but the Thunderbirds turned the ball over 24 times, which led to 23 points for the Wildcats.

SUU scored 48 points in the first half and just 35 in the second. In turn, SUU gave up 49 points in the second half.

Five different ACU players scored double figures.

Up Next

The biggest game of the year for the Thunderbirds will be next Saturday, February 28, when Utah Tech comes to Cedar City. SUU will look to avenge two losses to the Trailblazers this year, both in St. George. 

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