Feb. 9, 2006
Box Score
Utah Valley State junior David Heck converted on a pair of free throws with 9.6 seconds remaining in the game to break a 52-52 en route to sending the Wolverines to a 55-52 victory at the UTPA Fieldhouse on Thursday (Feb. 9).
The Wolverines struggled from the free throw line during the entire game, converting on 14 of 26 attempts, but managed to sink the shots from the charity stripe when they counted the most. Heck was the biggest heartbreaker for the Broncs as he drained four of the last five free throws for Utah Valley State.
The Broncs had an opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds, but junior Dexter Shankle (Katy, TX/James E. Taylor H.S.) was called for traveling with four seconds left in the game. Following a foul by Alex Robinson (San Antonio, TX/Clark H.S.), the Wolverines went to the other end of the court and converted on one of two free throws to seal the 55-52 victory.
"We have to find a way to finish the game," said head coach Robert Davenport. "We went down the court and didn't execute, and on the other hand, they came down and were able to execute. I thought that we out-played them, but we had too many empty possessions at the end of the game, and you can't win a game like that."
The entire game proved to be a back-and-forth affair, but it was not more evident than in the first half, which saw nine lead changes and eight tied scores. No team was able to get more than a three-point advantage during the first 20 minutes of the contest. The Broncs were able to get their biggest lead of the first half when Shankle drained a trey to give UTPA a 21-18 edge with 7:23 remaining in the first frame.
After a pair of free throws allowed the Wolverines to take a 28-25 lead with 1:54 remaining in the first half, the Broncs scored on their final two possessions, including a lay-in by both Robinson and Zach Trader (LaPorte, TX/LaPorte H.S.), to secure a 29-28 advantage heading into intermission.
"I thought that we played pretty well in the first half. We were able to shoot the ball and do a good job on the boards, and we were able to make some key adjustments on Utah Valley State. Unfortunately, we gave up some pretty big offensive rebounds, and in a close game, you just can't do that," added Davenport.
In the second half, the Wolverines were able to take their biggest lead of the game at 43-37 following a jumper from the baseline by Heck with 10:56 remaining in the game. The Broncs responded back and tied the game at 45-45 with 5:34 left in the game following a lay-in from Robinson, who scored a career-high eight points in the contest.
The game remained tight throughout the final minutes, and the Broncs took their first lead of the second period when junior Larry Sheppard (Baton Rouge, LA/Iowa Western C.C.) converted on a pair of free throws with 2:36 left in the contest to give UTPA a 49-48 advantage. The lead would not stick throughout the remaining minutes as Utah Valley State recorded its fourth straight victory over the Broncs.
"The game pretty much played out the same way that it did in the first game at their place. We had opportunities to win the game, and just couldn't put it together at the end. We have to learn how to win close games and get done what needs to be done," added Davenport.
Colin Lien (Waterloo, IA/Southwestern C.C.) finished with a double-double in the contest with 19 points on 7-12 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds in 36 minutes of action. Trader finished with nine points, converting on a perfect 4-4 from the floor, while Sheppard and Shankle each added seven points.
Heck finished with a team-high 13 points while Matt Peterson collected 11 points. As a team, the Broncs shot 48.8 percent (20-41) for the game compared to 42.2 percent (19-45) for the Wolverines.
Utah Valley State improved its record to 12-11 on the season while the Broncs fell to 7-18.
UTPA will be on the road this weekend as the Broncs travel to Brookings, SD, for a contest against South Dakota State. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.
UTPA Sports Information
