ULM drops heartbreaker in closing seconds to Texas State, 64-63

By Paul Letlow, ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist

MONROE, La. – ULM provided a dramatic finish for a charged up crowd of 3,332 on Thursday night, but the outcome didn’t go the Warhawks’ way in a 64-63 loss to Texas State.

Jalen Hodge’s basket at the buzzer was waved off and confirmed by the replay officials in a disappointing ending to a tight Sun Belt Conference clash that featured five ties and 12 lead changes.

The Warhawks, who finished 0-for-3 on their most recent road trip, returned to Fant-Ewing Coliseum to lose their fourth straight.

“We are disappointed,” ULM coach Keith Richard said. “It’s a tough locker room in there right now and rightfully so. Bottom line is, we didn’t finish it.”

A turnover by ULM’s JD Williams with 37 seconds remaining gave Texas State the ball in a tie game. Fouled on the other end, Nijal Pearson, who tied the score with a 3-pointer with a minute left, made his first free throw and missed the second with 10 seconds to go. Williams missed a layup with one second left and Hodge, grabbed the carom and launched the shot milliseconds late.

“We don’t have anybody to blame but ourselves,” Richard said. “We didn’t make the plays to win the game.”

Tyree White led all ULM scorers with 16 points and six rebounds with two of the team’s seven 3-pointers. Michael Ertel and Williams added 15 each as ULM (6-11, 2-6) shot 49 percent from the field with 13 turnovers.

Pearson, who came in leading the Sun Belt in scoring, posted 23 points for Texas State (11-8, 4-4).

“Their first-team, all-league guy Pearson flexed his muscle,” Richard said. “He hit a three and got fouled in the last minute. We turned it over and missed one at the bucket.”

ULM led 33-25 at halftime after shooting 54 percent (14-of-26) from the field. Williams scored 10 points and Ertel scored nine, including a basket at the buzzer. The Warhawks wrapped the first half with a 7-0 run and made seven of their last nine field-goal attempts.

The Bobcats struggled shooting, making just 7-of-25 attempts (28 percent).

The Warhawks led by as many as 10 points, 46-36, when Williams buried a 3-pointer with 13:19 left in the game. But an 11-0 run allowed the Bobcats claw their way back to a 51-51 tie by the 7:17 mark and a 53-51 lead with 6:39 to go. A technical foul against Youry White after a blocked shot at the 12:08 mark came during Texas State’s comeback.

“Give them credit for staying around and getting back in it,” Richard said. “The technical foul kind of turned the game back their way.”

Up next: ULM’s two-game homestand concludes Saturday, Jan. 18 against UT Arlington. Tip-off is 2 p.m.

Tail feathers: Guard Erie Olonade made his first ULM start. … The two teams were a combined 1-for-10 from the floor to open the game. … ULM’s softball team signed scheduled posters before the game and was recognized at midcourt along with head coach Molly Fichtner at halftime.