Tuesday, January 23, 2018

UAPB keeps SWAC hot streak going with close win at Houston

HOUSTON, Texas — University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff head men’s basketball coach George Ivory knew it was just a matter of time before junior guard Martaveous McKnight would come up big for the Golden Lions.

“We knew he would come through for us,” Ivory said after the Golden Lions’ dramatic 74-72 victory Monday night at the HP&E Arena in Houston. “He’s played so hard for two weeks.”

With the Golden Lions trailing by three points with 2.8 seconds remaining, McKnight hit a 3-pointer, got fouled and fell to the floor.

Before McKnight could step to the free throw line, Texas Southern head coach Mike Davis argued the foul call, drawing a technical foul.

Ivory said his heart dropped “a little bit” after McKnight missed the first free throw, but he was still confident in the 6-foot-3 guard, who calmly converted the next two for a 74-72 lead.

As soon as Texas Southern senior Lamont Walker’s desperation shot bounced off the rim, the first place Golden Lions (7-14, 7-0) extended their winning streak to seven games. They snapped three-time defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion Texas Southern’s 26-game home conference winning streak.

UAPB also won at TSU (4-17, 5-3) for the first time this decade, after losing four games at TSU by six points or less since 2011.

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