UALR Basketball news

MONROE, La. – Senior Courtney Jackson scored a career-high 20 points on Thursday night to lead the UALR men’s basketball team (7-11, 4-0) to a 72-51 victory over ULM (2-16, 1-4) at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Trojans shot 50.0 percent from the field in the win to move to 4-0 in Sun Belt Conference play for the first time since the 2001-02 season.

After trailing by as many as 14 points in the first half, the Warhawks rallied to make it a five-point game at the break, 38-33. ULM opened the second half by going 1-for-10 from the field, however, and was held to a .241 field goal percentage over the final 20 minutes (7-of-29) as the Trojans pulled away.

Jackson scored a season-high 14 points in the first half alone, and went 8-of-13 from the field and 4-for-4 at the foul line on the way to his first career 20-point game. Senior D’Andre Williams and sophomore Chuck Guy added 10 points apiece in the win, while freshman Michael Javes totaled seven points, two blocks and a season-high nine rebounds to help UALR to a +6 rebounding margin (36-to-30). UALR came up with 10 steals in the win, with four from Williams, which it turned into an 18-to-9 scoring edge in points off turnovers.

Steven McClellan was one of four Warhawks to score in double figures in the loss, totaling a team-high 15 points while grabbing seven rebounds. Fred Brown added 11 points and seven rebounds for ULM, while Charles Winborne and Christian Bibi Ndongo chipped in 10 points apiece.

UALR went to Jackson early and often in the first half, and the senior forward responded with 14 points off 7-of-10 shooting over the first 20 minutes. Jackson scored 10 of the team’s first 17 points out of the gate to help UALR run out to a 17-4 lead at the 13:41 mark. UALR held a 23-9 edge after a three pointer by Guy with 11:41 on the clock, but the Warhawks scored seven-unanswered points, with a three pointer from Winborne, to make it a seven-point game, 23-16.

UALR extended its lead back to 14 points, 34-20, as Jackson knocked down a jumper and Neighbour sank a three pointer. ULM cut its deficit to seven points once again, 34-27, with a quick 7-0 run, highlighted by a three-point play by Brown. Up by seven, Jackson scored off a dunk and a jumper to put UALR back on top by double digits, but Winborne and Hugh Mingo each sank a three pointer over the final 1:06 to make it a 38-33 contest at the break.

The Trojans used solid ball movement to shoot 55.2 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes, racking up 14 assists on 16 field goals. Winborne paced the Warhawks with 10 points at the break, going 4-for-5 from the field and 2-for-3 from three-point range.

UALR outscored the Warhawks 11-to-4 over the first seven minutes of the second half to push its lead to 12 points, 49-37, with 12:56 remaining as ULM went just 1-of-10 from the field to open the half. ULM pulled within single digits, 50-41, with 10:28 to go, but the Trojans received two free throws from junior Reggie Fondren and a three pointer by Neighbour, and led by at least 10 points the rest of the way.

Neighbour logged 13 minutes in his first game action since suffering a shoulder injury at Denver on Dec. 31, and finishing with six points, three rebounds and two assists over 13 minutes.

UALR returns to action Saturday night when it travels to Jonesboro to square off against Arkansas State at 7 p.m.