EDINBURG, Tex.- The CSUB Roadrunners allowed a 9-0 run over the final four minutes in the second half and combined three-straight turnovers in the final possessions as UT Pan American forced overtime and outlasted CSUB 79-73 Thursday night at the UTPA Fieldhouse.
CSUB rallied from six points down at half to take the lead for the first time with 12:45 remaining in the game following a Corey Hall (Jr., Chicago, Ill., Ventura CC) layup and free throw. The 'Runners would then build a 9-point lead with 4:44 remaining. That was where the scoring would stop for CSUB and the 'Runners failed to score on every possession during the remainder of regulation and turned the ball over three times allowing UTPA to go on a 9-0 run and tie the game at the free throw line with 34 seconds to play.
The 'Runners had one more possession but a Stephon Carter (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Garces HS) 15-foot jumper as the clock expired missed and the Broncs would go on to outscore CSUB in overtime to take the 79-73 win, outscoring CSUB 25-10 over the final 9:44 seconds of game time.
"Our biggest problem is that we turned the ball over on three straight possessions when we were up by seven, you just can't do that on the road; just careless and not taking care of the basketball," said head coach Rod Barnes. "I thought our kids fought hard besides those last two or three minutes when we probably could have put the game away, if we wouldn't have turned the basketball over we would have won the game."
Carter led the way for CSUB with 22 points on 10-15 shooting including a CSUB record six steals. It was the steals and UTPA turnovers that allowed CSUB to build their nine-point lead but it was also CSUB's 23 turnovers including five in the final five minutes of regulation that helped the Broncs come from behind and force overtime tied at 63.
Javonte Maynor (R-So. Atlanta, Ga., Georgia State) added 17 for the Roadrunners on 7-11 shooting and 2-5 from three-point range. CSUB started slow in the first half connecting on just 10-28 shots from the field but shot well the remainder of the game going 14-20 for 70% in the second half and 4-7 in overtime. Three-point shooting never got on target for the 'Runners who were just 2-13 in the game.
Justin Leathers led four players in double figures for UTPA with 16 points. The Broncs scored many of them in the low block with 36 in the paint. They were also just 3-11 from three-point range but two of the three made shots were critical in their comeback victory.
"Give them (UTPA) credit they hung in there and made some plays they needed to make to win the game," said Barnes. "It's a tough loss for us because it's one we worked hard enough to win but just fell short on it."
The 'Runners will be off this weekend but return home on Wednesday, Feb. 20 hosting South Dakota State at Rabobank Arena at 7 P.M.
