CLARKSVILLE, Ark. – LETU rallies in the second half to eke out a 91-88 victory over Ozarks Saturday at Mabee Gymnasium.
Kyle Matthews registered a career-high 24 points, helping the YellowJackets move to 20-4 overall, including 15-4 in American Southwest Conference play. They claimed the No. 2 seed in the conference championship, which begins Thursday, Feb. 24, in Belton, Texas.
The Eagles, which claimed the 2021 American Southwest Conference Championship, had a chance to reach the tournament with a win but finished last at 6-18, 5-14.
In a back-and-forth affair that featured 24 lead changes and 10 draws, neither side held an advantage larger than nine points. The YellowJackets jumped out to a 10-3 advantage just 2:19 into the contest before Ozarks ran out to a 43-34 margin with 2:33 remaining in the first half.
Buckets by Matthews,
Christian Adams and
Andrew Eberhardt closed the gap to four at the break and the game stayed close over the final 20 minutes. Both sides owned five-point cushions in the second half, with the Eagles reaching the advantage once and LETU boasting the gap on three different occasions.
Matthews collected three boards and two steals.
Deonte Jackson netted 23 points, adding six assists, six rebounds and a steal.
Warren Richardson notched his eighth career double-double – all this season - chipping in 20 points and corralling 10 boards. Eberhardt totaled 16 points and five rebounds, with two steals and one assists.
Head Coach
James Wallace owns the program record for the most wins in the rookie campaign. The 20 wins matches the fourth most in a single season. Of LETU's five seasons with 20-plus wins, four occurred since 2016-17.
The YellowJackets take on No. 7 Sul Ross State in the first round of the 2022 American Southwest Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament Thursday, Feb. 24, at UMHB in Belton, Texas. Tip is set for 30 minutes after the conclusion of the opening game between No. 3 Hardin-Simmons and No. 6 McMurry, which begins at noon.
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