Houston, Texas – Despite junior guard
Shawn Johnson tying the game high in points with 22, UIW men's basketball could not overcome a 40-28 disadvantage in points in the paint as HBU defeated the Cardinals, 84-70, Saturday night from Sharp Gym.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first half was a tightly-knit affair with five lead changes. Neither team led by more than two until back-to-back treys by
Simi Socks and
Sam Burmeister gave UIW a 13-8 lead with 15:04 left in the first half.
The Cardinals led by as many as eight following an offensive rebound and a triple by
Shawn Johnson, but HBU used a 15-6 run to trail by one, 31-30, with 4:35 remaining in the opening half.
Following a Socks layup to put the visitors up by three, the Huskies closed the half on a 6-0 run to take a 38-35 lead into the locker room.
Johnson's triple 40 seconds into the second half knotted the game at 38-all, but HBU scored 10 of the next 12 points to take a 48-40 lead with 15:30 left in regulation. Another trey by Johnson stopped the bleeding, but only momentarily, as Colter Lasher answered with a long ball of his own.
HBU led by as many as 10 before UIW used a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to four following a steal and fast-break layup by Johnson. But HBU answered with a 15-4 run in a span of four minutes to take a 15-point lead with just over two minutes left in regulation.
LEADERS
Johnson tied HBU's Braxton Bonds for the game high in points with 22. Socks followed with 18,
Tyler Singleton with 12, and Hart with 11. Socks and Singleton pulled a team-best six rebounds. As a team, the Cardinals shot 41 percent from the floor.
Along with Bonds, Lasher paced the Huskies' offense with 19 points, while Atif Russell came off the bench for 15 and Reveal Chukwujekwu with 14. The Huskies shot 46 percent from the floor.
UP NEXT
UIW plays at Stephen F. Austin on Thursday at 8 p.m. at 8 p.m. on the American Sports Network.
STAY TUNED
The Cardinals end the road swing next Saturday at Sam Houston State.
For the most up-to-date information on UIW Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow UIW Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like UIW Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.
