Sports

POOR START TO SECOND HALF TOO MUCH FOR GOLDEN LIONS TO OVERCOME

By The Commercial Staff
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 12:12 AM CST

A more than seven-minute stretch to start the second half that saw the Arkansas-Pine Bluff men’s basketball team commit four turnovers and allow Denver to make all seven shots from the field spoiled a solid first half from the Golden Lions in a 75-56 loss to the Pioneers on Sunday in Denver.

UAPB (0-2) scored the first seven points of the game and trailed just 40-36 at halftime. But that’s when the Pioneers, fueled by points from five different players, went on a 15-2 run that didn’t end until a Terry Tidwell layup made the score 55-40 with 13:47 left in the game.

The Golden Lions played the Pioneers (1-1) virtually even the rest of the game, but never cut the lead below 10 points.

Lebaron Weathers led UAPB with 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting and also had three rebounds to add to another positive effort in that category. UAPB outrebounded Denver 23-19.

Savalace Townsend added 10 points and four rebounds and nine different players scored. Terrance Calvin, who scored 21 points in a loss at Colorado last Friday, missed on all five shots from the field and scored just one point in 22 minutes while playing most of the second half with three personal fouls.

Denver was led by Brian Stafford’s 19 points on 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point range and Nate Rohnert added 16 points.

UAPB continues its weeklong road trip to start the season when it plays at Texas-El Paso on Wednesday. The Miners (1-0) beat Texas Southern 89-70 on Friday.

No. 4 Notre Dame 102, UAPB 57

Shay Holmes’ 3-pointer 15 seconds into the game gave the Lady Lions a momentary lead. But few things after that went UAPB’s way in a 102-57 loss at No. 4 Notre Dame on Sunday.

UAPB (0-2) also held a 6-3 lead after Rekevia Brown made another 3, but the Fighting Irish (1-0) followed that with an 11-2 run and they never trailed again.

UAPB made 6 of 23 shots from 3-point range and three players scored in double-figures.

Holmes led the Lady Lions with 14 points and five rebounds, while Jenise Gentry came off the bench to score 13 points and Brown scored all of her 12 points on 4-of-9 3-point shooting.

The Lady Lions committed 31 turnovers, but also forced 27, 17 of which came off steals. LaQuisha Slaton led the Lady Lions with six steals.

UAPB plays Arkansas State (0-1) at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at the ASU Convocation Center in Jonesboro.

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