SUU Basketball Faces Challenges As UT Arlington Secures Victory

The Southern Utah Men's Basketball Team faced another tough loss in their recent matchup against UT Arlington, adding to their season's string of misfortunes. Despite holding a substantial lead early on, the Thunderbirds ultimately succumbed to a 90-85 defeat.

Coach Rob Jeter expressed frustration with the recurring theme of missed opportunities, emphasizing the team's resilience despite the setbacks. With a season record of 9-18 and a conference record of 4-12, their path to the WAC Vegas tournament became even more challenging following victories by Abilene Christian and Utah Valley.

In a game recap, SUU started strong, establishing a significant lead in the first half. However, UTA clawed back with a 17-6 run, narrowing the gap to just two points at halftime. The second half remained tightly contested, with neither team able to pull away decisively. A critical three-pointer by Sterling Gaston-Chapman ultimately sealed the Thunderbirds' fate.

Despite their loss, SUU showcased impressive statistics, shooting at nearly 52% from the field and 46% from three-point range. They also demonstrated strong teamwork with 16 assists collectively. Dominique Ford led the scoring with 24 points, supported by Zion Young with 20 points, Parsa Fallah with 19 points, and Braden Housley with 17 points.

Looking ahead, the Thunderbirds will regroup during the weekend before facing Abilene Christian and Tarleton State in their upcoming home games. Despite the challenges they've faced this season, Coach Jeter and his team remain determined to persevere and turn their fortunes around on the court. Those will be the final two home games for the Thunderbirds this season so this will be a great opportunity to fill the America First Event Center. Those games will be broadcast on KSUB.

The T-Birds will wrap up WAC play with two road games in Texas the following week.