The adjustment to the international three-point line has proved difficult for UALR in its preseason trip to Canada. That was the case again on Friday as UALR lost 80-67 to the University of Alberta in the Battle of the Border in Calgary.
UALR shot just 33 percent from the field and made just 3 of 24 three-pointers (12.5 percent) on Friday. That coupled with extreme foul trouble for UALR senior Will Neighbour led to another Trojan loss.
The Trojans (0-2 on the exhibition tour) get a rematch with the University of Calgary on Saturday night as they try to salvage one victory.
Sophomore Josh Hagins led UALR with 14 points and 7 rebounds. Sophomore James White and junior Ben Dillard each added 11 points. Senior Will Neighbour was in foul trouble and limited to just 19 minutes. He finished with 6 points and 6 rebounds before fouling out.
UALR fell behind 23-17 after the first quarter and 37-32 at halftime.
Alberta shot 44 percent from the field, 44 percent from three-point range and made 23 of 26 free throws to earn the victory.
After trailing by as many as eight points in the first quarter, UALR rallied to take the lead. A three-pointer by Dillard and two free throws by Hagins gave UALR a 26-25 advantage with 6:44 left in the second quarter. But Alberta regained the lead on the ensuing possession with a three-pointer by Jordan Baker.
Neighbour then picked up his second foul and wen to the bench the remainder of the half as Albert upped its lead to 5 points.
Neighbour picked up his third and fourth fouls in a four-second span of the second half and the Trojans wilted when he went to the bench. Baker hit a jump shot and Shar Saffa and Joel Friesen hit three-pointers as Albert took a 45-32 lead. Neighbour didn't return in the third quarter, after which Alberta led 55-44.
Neighbour started the fourth quarter and was part of an 8-0 run in which he scored twice to cut the lead to 57-52. But Neighbour fouled out with 5:17 left and UALR trailing 61-54. The Trojans only get as close as 63-58 with 4:09 left the rest of the way.
