Feb. 7, 2009

The tandem of Emmanuel Jones and Nathan Hawkins wasn't enough for the Broncs (6-15) as the Chicago State Cougars defeated UTPA 78-72 this Saturday (Feb. 7) night at the UTPA Fieldhouse.

"We are disappointed that we lost. Our efforts were good and we gave ourselves a chance to win, but we just didn't make plays down the stretch," said head men's basketball coach Tom Schuberth.

The Broncs gave up their lead with 10:23 in the first half and entered halftime trailing by three by a score of 33-30 but didn't let the Cougars wonder off too far as they stayed within no more than five points.

With 5:16 left on the clock, the Broncs tied the score at 62 to make the final minutes an intense five minutes.

UTPA came as close as one in the remaining minutes with 3:12 left to play, but two turnovers by PJ Turner and Jones cost the Broncs possessions and a chance to tie the score as they trailed by four points with 42 seconds on the clock.

Nick Weiermiller missed a final shot with nine seconds left to play but two free throws by John Cantrell gave the Cougars a six-point advantage.

"I thought there were some questionable calls during the game which went against us. We played them to the wire and we fell short. We just have to continue getting better and stay positive and keep our heads up," added Schuberth.

Emmanuel Jones recorded a career-high 27 points on 12-16 shooting from the field, including 3-of-5 from the foul line. Jones nearly missed a double-double as he notched nine boards along with one assist.

Hawkins finished the night with 10 points, including 6-of-8 from the foul line along with three rebounds and one steal. Nick Weiermiller chipped in with another nine points, seven assists and three steals.

The Broncs will be back in action on Feb. 11 as they travel to Farmville, VA as they face the Long wood Lancers with tip-off slated for 7:00 p.m. CT.

UTPA Sports Information