PINE BLUFF, Arkansas -- After trailing nearly the entire game, junior guard Martaveous McKnight missed a jump shot that would have tied the game as his team trailed by just two points at home in overtime; subsequently, after a Travon Harper rebound and a quick pass from Joe'Randle Toliver, McKnight hit the biggest shot of his short-lived Golden Lion career, a game-winning 3-pointer with just 12 seconds remaining in overtime as he catapulted his team to a 78-76 (OT) victory over Southern University on Greek Night in Southwestern Athletic Conference action at H.O. Clemmons Arena. The mighty Golden Lions advance to a perfect 4-0 in SWAC play for the first time in Coach Ivory's tenure.
"I remained focused and locked in," said McKnight. "I had to forget about all of the easy shots I missed earlier in the game. After I shot the first jumper, my teammates hustled for the rebound and dished it back out to me, so I had to reward them by sticking the shot," said McKnight, who was just named two-time SWAC Men's Basketball Player of the Week following his sensational performances in a two-game road trip in Alabama which resulted in two victories for UAPB.
The Golden Lions (4-14, 4-0 SWAC) scored the first bucket of the game which was a 3-pointer from McKnight. That was the only time that UAPB led all game until overtime. Toliver finished with a team-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field to go along with 5-of-8 three pointers, but none bigger than the 3-pointer he drilled with just over one minute in regulation to bring his team within two points right after Southern (5-13, 1-4 SWAC) big man Sidney Umude dunked the ball to give his team a five point lead which at the time seemed to be the dagger.
McKnight scored 17 points on 7-of-19 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 from downtown. He also dished out 11 assists and grabbed four steals in the victory while fellow Golden Lion Trent Steen also scored 17 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and grabbed nine rebounds to go along with three blocks. Travon Harper and Terrance Banyard both chipped in with 11 points apiece.
Umude finished with a game-high 21 points and grabbed 12 boards in the loss for Southern while Jared Sam produced 17 points and 10 rebounds. Jamar Sandifer chipped in with 11 points on just 2-of-11 shooting from the field. With the loss, the Jaguars drop to 1-4 in conference play.
As a team the Golden Lions were outrebounded 46-38 but distributed 23 assists to just 13 for Southern. UAPB trailed 40-33 at the half but outscored the Jaguars 35-28 in the second half to force overtime. In the extra period, UAPB outscored Southern 10-8.
The Golden Lions basketball team returns to action on Monday, January 15 for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day Special as it hosts Alcorn State University in SWAC play. The theme is "Take a Kid to the Game" Day as kids are allowed free entrance to the doubleheader if accompanied with an adult. Due to the possibility of inclement weather, tip-off for the doubleheader has been moved up to 2 p.m. for the Lady Lions and 4 p.m. for the Golden Lions.
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF ATHLETIC MEDIA CO,MMUNICATIONS
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