Burn The Horse: Bozeman nets 28, every Trojan scores as UALR beats South Alabama

BURN THE HORSE

Solomon Bozeman backed up his Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Award with a career high 28 points. His teammates did the dirty work as UALR advanced to the second round of the Sun Belt Tournament with a convincing 82-68 victory over South Alabama at Hot Springs Convention Center.

82 68

It sets up a third meeting of the season between UALR and Arkansas State at 8:45 p.m. tonight at Summit Arena in Hot Springs. ASU, the West Division co-champion, has swept the previous two meetings. ASU also knocked UALR out of last year’s Sun Belt Tournament in a memorable overtime game. Saturday’s victory had very few moments of anxiety for Trojan fans. UALR got off to a good start, pushed the lead to double digits in the first half, and never let South Alabama get within striking distance.
No other Trojan was in double figures, but every player dressed out for the game scored (except injured Courtney Jackson) and all but one had at least one rebound. UALR outrebounded South Alabama 39-28 and never let freshman of the year Augustine Rubit get going.

Sun Belt Conference

UALR's Eric Kibi looks to

pass as he is defended by

South Alabama's Allyn Cooks.

   Bozeman made 8 of 15 field goals, 2 of 5 three-pointers and 10 of 11 free throws while involved in a pretty constant war of words on the court with South Alabama’s Gary Redus and Allyn Cooks. Redus, who Twittered last week that UALR was “sorry as hell” finished with only 6 points in 35 minutes.
   After South Alabama cut a second half lead to nine points, UALR went on a run to push the margin to 21 points with 4:08 left.
   UALR took the lead for good at 8-6 on a jumper by Bozeman that started a 9-0 run. Alex Garcia-Mendoza hit a jump shot, Eric Kibi had a tip-in and Matt Mouzy hit a three-pointer for a 15-6 lead. The lead reached 35-18 with 4:08 left on a tip-in by Marlon Louzeiro. But a sloppy finish to the first half dropped the halftime lead to just 39-28.
   The second half consisted of UALR turning back South Alabama runs anytime the Jaguars pulled within 9-10 points. Never was that more apparent than a stretch of traded baskets midway through the second half.
   A Tramar Sutherland layup pushed the lead back to 59-48, then two free throws by Bozeman made it 61-50, and then a layup by Chuck Guy made it 63-52 as UALR answered USA scores.
   But when Gus Leeper stepped up and hit a three-pointer for a 66-54 lead, the route was on. It reached 75-54 on a layup by Bozeman with 4:08 left.