Featured Image Courtesy of Southern Utah Athletics
RIVERSIDE, Calif. — On a night where the 2,705 fans in attendance at the CBU Events Center felt an upset coming all night long, the Thunderbirds did what great teams do. SUU held off a 25-point performance by Taran Armstrong in which he only missed two shots all game to escape. One of those missed shots was the potential game-winner at the buzzer. Before that, Hunter Goodrick missed two free throws that also could have won it for the Lancers with 3 seconds to go. Neither team shot well from the charity stripe, but SUU’s advantage there may have been the difference in this one.
Starters Ball Out
All five starters were in double figures for the Thunderbirds. Drake Allen led the scoring with 15 points while Tevian Jones scored 12. Jones was largely contained by the Lancer’s defense but was a perfect 3-for-3 from the free-throw line. Jason Spurgin went for 11 while Maizen Fausett and Harrison Butler had 10 apiece. The Thunderbirds had 14 points off the bench as they held off an upset-minded CBU team.
Root for Your Rival?
SUU might have a legitimate reason to root for Utah Tech on Thursday night. Other Wednesday night action in the WAC saw two major upsets. Abliene Christian went on the road to Seattle and knocked off the Redhawks. New Mexico State got its first WAC win of the season as they defeated Stephen F Austin. What was a four-way tie for first place has now shrunk to two teams? Utah Valley and SUU currently sit in a tie for first place in the WAC standings. The Wolverines take on the Trailblazers in St George on Thursday night. A Utah Tech upset would give the Thunderbirds sole possession of the first place in the WAC for at least two days. SUU heads down to Burns Arena to do battle with the Trailblazers on Saturday night.