Box Score HTML Box Score /
PDF Box Score
CHICAGO – Behind a 34-of-43 performance from the free throw line, UTPA men's basketball handed Chicago State their first Western Athletic Conference loss of the season by a score of 84-61 at the Jones Convocation Center on Saturday (Jan. 18).
The Cougars finished just 7-of-11 from the charity stripe. The disparity at the free throw line was the difference in a game that saw both teams make 23 field goals. For just the third time this season the Cougars lost the turnover battle, with UTPA forcing 19 Chicago State mistakes. The Broncs scored 21 points off those turnovers.
Chicago State jumped out to a 15-7 advantage five minutes into the contest. A jumper by junior
Clarke Rosenberg (Skokie, Ill./Evanston Township) put the Cougars up 19-14 with 11:33 remaining in the first half. The Cougars would stay stuck on 19 points for nearly the next four minutes. All told from that point on UTPA finished the half on a 28-11 run. The Broncs added the first five points of the second half as the Cougars opened the second with five straight turnovers.
As the Broncs continued to build their lead the Cougars settled for 3-pointers to get back in the contest. When the final buzzer sounded Chicago State finished 8-of-27 from the 3-point arc, their second most 3-point attempts in a game this season.
"Following Thursday's win, we needed to handle success better than we did and you saw us struggle today," Chicago State head coach
Tracy Dildy said. "Credit UTPA, they came in and took advantage. We're a growing program and handling expectations and success is part of that growth."
Senior
Quinton Pippen (Hamburg, Ark./Hamburg) tied his career high in scoring with 23 points. He also had 23 points a week earlier at Kansas City. Pippen finished 7-of-14 from beyond the arc. His seven 3-pointers are a career high, besting the six he made Feb. 9, 2013 at NJIT in triple overtime contest. His seven 3-pointers are also tied for the most in game by a WAC player this year.
Senior
Matt Ross (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) added a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds with one block. Senior
Nate Duhon (Lansing, Mich./Sexton) totaled 14 points off the bench.
Shaquille Boga finished with 26 points for UTPA. He was 15-of-18 from the free throw line.
UTPA improves to 6-14 (2-3 WAC). Chicago State falls to 8-10 (3-1 WAC). The Cougars hit the road on Thursday (Jan. 23) for a WAC contest at Bakersfield.
