Stephen F. Austin
Arkansas
SFA Falls Just Short At Arkansas
12/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2009
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Mark Gomillia's game-tying 3-point attempt bounced off the rim as time expired, ending a late comeback bid by Stephen F. Austin Saturday in a 72-69 loss at Arkansas' Bud Walton Arena.
The desperation three followed a 1-of-2 performance at the stripe on the other end of the floor by Rotnei Clarke, Arkansas' top free throw shooter. The Lumberjacks had fouled Clarke with 11 seconds left after Denzel Barnes hit a 3-pointer to get SFA to within two points (71-69).
But the shot from the right wing bounced wild, ending SFA's win streak at five games and moving the Lumberjacks to 6-3 on the season. Arkansas (6-5) picked up its fourth straight victory.
The Lumberjacks trailed by 11 (64-53) with five minutes to play but went on a 7-0 run over the next two minutes to make it a 64-61 game with 3:14 to play. Two possessions later, Eddie Williams brought SFA to within two with a 3-pointer at the 2:40 mark.
After Arkansas wrapped a jumper and a free throw around an SFA turnover to go back up by five (69-64), Gomillia came out of a pile under the Lumberjack basket and dropped in a layup to make it a three-point game.
Following two foul shots at the other end, Barnes connected on a rushed three from the top of the key that was his only bucket of the game, setting up the final plays of the game.
Senior guard Walt Harris scored a career-high 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting for SFA but played just 23 minutes after sitting down with 15:16 remaining in the second half. He strained a muscle in his back shortly after connecting on his third 3-pointer of the game. The shot came at the 15:45 mark and gave SFA a four-point lead (40-36), but Harris was unable to return.
Junior forward Jordan Glynn scored 14 points with 12 rebounds - both career highs - to put up his fourth straight double-double and fifth straight double-figure rebounding game. Sophomore center Jereal Scott joined in with 15 points and 10 boards for his first double-double of the season.
Arkansas' Mike Washington scored 25 points to lead all players and pulled down 11 rebounds.
For the game, SFA shot 44 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point range, but hit just 12 of its 17 free throw attempts. At the other end, Arkansas shot 47 percent from the field and connected on half of its 14 3-point attempts. The Razorbacks were even worse at the foul stripe, hitting just 15 of 22 attempts.
Rebounding finished in a dead heat with each team pulling down 32 boards. Arkansas finished with a 32-28 advantage in the paint, but SFA outscored the Razorbacks, 14-12, in second-chance scoring. The Lumberjacks forced nine turnovers and enjoyed a 13-5 advantage in points off turnovers.
SFA took its first lead of the game with 9:41 to play in the first half on a layup by Jereal Scott. The `Jacks stretched their advantage to as many as six and led, 33-28, at the half.
Arkansas re-took the lead early in the second period and had a double-digit advantage by the 6:09 mark, before SFA began its late push.
The Lumberjacks will be back in action Tuesday, when they host East Central (Oklahoma). The game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip from Johnson Coliseum.
-- SFA --
