Troy Falls with Maestri Absent

Saturday, January 8

Little Rock, AR

7:00 p.m.

Troy University

University of Arkansas - Little Rock

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

1/8/2011 8:04:18 PM | Basketball (M)

By: Taylor Bryan

BOX SCORE

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Troy played without head coach Don Maestri on Saturday night and fell 76-73 to Arkansas-Little Rock in Sun Belt action at the Stephens Center.

The game was the first missed by Maestri in his 41-year coaching career.

For the second straight year, Troy (2-13, 0-3) trailed by double-digits at halftime. But this year, the Trojans were unable to overcome the deficit and earn the victory.

“My hat goes off to the kids for the effort they put forth in the second half tonight,” assistant coach Ben Fletcher said. “They had an unbelievable effort to come back in the second half.

“They became a better team tonight. I have no doubt about that. They all fought together and all had a common goal.”

Troy opened the second half with a 9-3 run over the first six minutes as it turned up the intensity in the zone defense. UALR (9-9, 1-2) ended the threat with a pair of baskets, the latter a trey by Matt Mouzy.

The Men of Troy refused to go away. A trey and then a jumper by Huddleston gave Troy a 49-48 lead with 10:23 remaining. Will Weathers' lay-up made it a three-point lead.

Mouzy sank back-to-back 3-pointers to put UALR back on top by three points. Weathers stopped the run with a step-back jumper with Troy down a point, 54-53.

A free throw by Bernard Toombs left Troy behind 59-56 with 4:18 to go. UALR got two free throws from D'Andre Williams with 1:29 left for a 66-58 advantage.

Troy wasn't done and a 3-pointer by Huddleston cut it to within five with 63 seconds remaining. Solomon Bozeman converted two at the charity stripe. Weathers scored quick two, but the Trojans were unable to force a turnover and had to foul once more.

Garcia-Mendoza made 1-of-2 at the foul line and after another quick Weathers basket, Troy took its final timeout of the game to set-up its press once more. A foul was whistled on Levan Patsatsia before the in-bounds and Bozeman again sank two.

Again Weathers got a lay-up in transistion and again UALR sank two free throws, this time it was Chuck Guy with two. Patsatsia's second trey made it 72-70 with 10 seconds remaining.

Troy once again had to foul, sending Bozeman to the line for two more. He converted both and Weathers' next attempt missed. Garcia-Mendoza was fouled in the waning seconds and his free throws iced the game despite Patsatsia sinking another triple as the horn sounded as Troy fell 76-73.

UALR opened the game with an 8-3 lead with Troy connecting on just one of its first five shots. The Men of Troy responded with a 6-0 run on a three-point play by Vernon Taylor and a trey from Will Weathers to take its first lead, 9-8 with 15 minutes left.

Arkansas-Little Rock fired back and after a two by Derrick Bails and a 3-pointer by Chuck Guy completed a 10-1 run to take a 21-12 lead with 12 minutes remaining.

Taylor's second foul meant three free throws for Mouzy. He connected on all three for UALR as it pushed the deficit to double-digits, 26-15.

Troy pared the lead to five, but the home team Trojans from Little Rock hit on a 7-0 run for a 12-point advantage. The Men of Troy's first basket in more than four minutes was a hook shot by Toombs to make it 33-23 with three minutes to go.

UALR used an 8-4 run over the final 1:55 with the final point a free throw by Alex Garcia-Mendoza for the halftime margin of 41-27.

For the second straight game, Weathers provided an MVP-like effort. He finished Saturday's game with 27 points and 10 assists for his third double-double of the season.

Patterson and Huddleston both finished with 11. Patsatsia scored 10. Toombs totaled 16 rebounds to go with seven points.

Bozeman scored 17 to lead UALR.

Arkansas-Little Rock attempted 35 free throws, compared to just nine by Troy.

The Trojans are in action next on Thursday when they host Western Kentucky. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm in Sartain Hall.