When a team is already shooting free throws in the bonus with just under 15 minutes to play in the game, it usually results in victory.
If that same team, however, goes through a scoring drought that produces just two points in nearly six minutes, all bets are off and the result is up in the air.
That’s what happened to the UTPB men’s basketball team against Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday.
In the bonus early in the second half, the Falcons then proceeded to find a lid on their basket for nearly six minutes and that allowed the Javelinas to catch, pass and run away to a 73-63 victory in Lone Star Conference play at the Falcon Dome.
Creighton Avery scored 13 points to lead Texas A&M-Kingsville (5-3 overall, 1-1 in conference), with C.J. Smith finishing with 12 and Jake Majors 10 in the victory.
Azariah Seay scored a game-high 19 points for the Falcons (5-3, 1-1), with Jalen King adding 11 in the loss.
UTPB was perfect from the free throw line, hitting all 19 attempts in the game.
The teams were locked in a tight, back-and-forth contest when Seay was fouled with 14:23 remaining to play to put the Falcons in the bonus.
Seay made both to pull UTPB within one, 41-40, with the Falcons eventually moving out to a 50-47 lead after Seay drove the baseline for a layup.
Then, suddenly, UTPB couldn’t buy a basket and the Javelinas quickly took control.
Kavon Booker started the Javelinas’ 17-4 run over the next six minutes with dunk, followed by 3-pointer by Isaiah Payne from the right corner that tied the game (52-52).
Avery converted a layup, followed by a reverse layup from Smith to put Texas A&M-Kingsville in front by four.
UTPB’s D’Mari Wiltz hit a jumper to briefly slow the Javelinas’ streak, but another dunk by Booker, followed by a pair of free throws from Avery, a layup from Marcus Jones-Green and two more free throws from Smith and the visitors quickly had a 64-54 lead with 3:27 remaining to play.
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