Thursday’s Sun Belt Scores and Recaps

There were four games Thursday night in the Sun Belt.  And, it was a good night for three of the home teams.

UTA 70, GEORGIA STATE 62--The Mavericks came back from an early second half 14 point deficit holding the league's highest scoring offense to just 27 second half points. UTA was 0-13 at one point in the game, but Brian Warren hit back to back triples to give the Mavericks a 63-58 lead at the final media timeout.  It's the first time this season UTA has won when trailing at halftime.  UTA is now 13-15, 9-8 in the league.  Georgia State drops to 18-10, 11-6.

TEXAS STATE 70, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 55--Make that five straight wins at the Strachan Arena for the Bobcats (18-10, 11-6) as Texas State raced out to a 42-20 halftime lead.  Nijal Pearson scored 20 points to lead the Bobcats, while Marlin Davis scored a career high 16.  Georgia Southern (16-12, 10-7) was led by Isaiah Crawley's 18 points.  The win moved Texas State into a tie for second place with Georgia State.  The two teams meet in San Marcos on Saturday.

COASTAL CAROLINA 90, TROY 60--The Chanticleers put five players in double figures and pulled away in the second half for the win over the Trojans.  Tommy Burton and DeVante Jones had 16 points apiece for Coastal (14-14, 7-10 Sun Belt), who won a Thursday league game for the first time in eight tries this season.  Troy (9-19, 5-12) has lost four straight.

SOUTH ALABAMA 78, APPALACHIAN STATE 70--Don't look now, but here come the preseason favorites.  The Jaguars (17-11, 10-7) shot nearly 70 percent from the floor (30-43) in getting the win at the Holmes Center.  Josh Ajayi scored 19 points and Trhae Mitchell added 15 to lead four in double figures as the Jaguars won their fifth straight and moved into a tie for fourth place with Georgia Southern.  O'Showen Williams hit ten triples and led all scorers with 32 points, but the Mountaineers fell to 15-13, 9-8.

And, in case you missed the Wednesday game:

ULM 66, ARKANSAS STATE 52--ULM got its first ever win at First National Bank Arena, jumping out to a 41-26 halftime lead and led by as many as 23 in the second half.  Michael Ertel and Tyree White combined for 35 points in the contest.  The Warhawks (8-18, 4-13) had lost 14 straight games without a win in the former Convocation Center and had lost 17 in a row in Jonesboro.  Marquis Eaton scored 17 for the Red Wolves (15-13, 7-10), who have now lost six in a row.