BATON ROUGE, LA. – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff men's basketball team used a strong second-half push to edge Southern University, 75–74, on the road Saturday night at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.
The Golden Lions went into halftime tied with the Jaguars at 31–31 before seizing control down the stretch to secure the one-point victory.
UAPB had three players score in double figures, led by Quion Williams, who finished with a game-high 23 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Trevon Payton followed closely with 22 points, knocking down six three-pointers, while Jaquan Scott added 14 points.
The Golden Lions were efficient from beyond the arc, connecting on nine three-pointers on 24 attempts. Payton led the way from deep, accounting for six of UAPB's nine treys.
Defensively, UAPB forced 13 Southern turnovers and converted those takeaways into 18 points. Williams paced the effort with three steals, as the Golden Lions committed just 12 turnovers of their own.
How It Happened
Southern jumped out to a 22–14 lead in the first half before UAPB answered with a 5–0 run, capped by a Williams three-pointer, to cut the deficit to 22–19 with 10:44 remaining. The Golden Lions continued to chip away and eventually tied the game at 31–31 heading into halftime, scoring nine points off four offensive rebounds in the opening period.
Southern built a 63–55 lead midway through the second half, but UAPB responded with an 8–0 run, highlighted by a Williams layup, to tie the game at 63–63 with 6:01 remaining. The Golden Lions took the lead for good on a free throw by Ashton Magee with 49 seconds left, holding on for the 75–74 victory. UAPB capitalized on eight Southern turnovers in the second half, turning them into 16 points.
Game Notes
- UAPB outscored Southern 44–43 in the second half after the teams were tied at halftime.
- The Golden Lions knocked down nine three-pointers in the contest.
- Williams, Payton, and Scott combined for 59 of UAPB's 75 points.
- UAPB forced 13 turnovers on the defensive end.
- Williams led all scorers with 23 points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds.
- Payton finished with 22 points, including six three-pointers.
