Demons Fall to UCA After Big Half Time Lead
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Updated: January 14, 2012
NATCHITOCHES - Carlin Bremmer's 17 points included five 3-pointers Saturday, and 16-point scorer LaQuentin Miles scored the game's last six points in the final minute bringing Central Arkansas from behind and completing a rally from a 17-point second-half deficit for a surprising 77-73 victory at Northwestern State in Southland Conference basketball.
The Bears (6-9 overall, 1-2 in the Southland) snapped a six-game losing skid while handing the Demons (9-8, 2-1) their first homecourt loss in seven games this year, and ending an 8-game Northwestern win streak in the series. NSU had won five of its last seven contests, and its first two league games, including a comeback from a 19-point deficit for an 80-79 triumph Wednesday night at Nicholls.
UCA scored the last six points to win, all by Miles, and the Bears got two blocked shots by Anthony Borden in the last minute. A 5-foot bank shot from NSU's Demetrice Jacobs with 1:42 left moved the Demons up 73-71, but Miles hit a layup after an NSU turnover to tie it with 53 seconds remaining. Borden blocked a 12-foot Shamir Davis jumper with 22 seconds left back toward midcourt, with Miles collecting the ball and Davis fouling him to prevent the layup. Miles sank two go-ahead free throws with 18 seconds showing.
After an NSU timeout, Borden did it again, swatting back a Louis Ellis jumper in the lane, with Miles again collecting the ball near midcourt and getting fouled by Ellis. Miles sank two free throws sandwiched around a timeout with 1.5 seconds left to ice the outcome.
Central Arkansas shot 59 percent after halftime, including 8 of 13 on 3-pointers, 4 of 5 by Bremer and 3 of 5 from Robert Crawford, who scored 13. Northwestern made just 35 percent of its second half shots and shot poorly for the game on 3-pointers (3-19) and free throws (18-35).
Davis scored a game-high 23 points for the Demons. Ellis had 12 while James Hulbin and William Mosley had 10 each. Mosley added a season-high 17 rebounds and 7 blocked shots as he moved into 21st place in NCAA history with 401 career blocks.
Northwestern hit half its shots (14-28) while building a 44-30 halftime advantage. Davis nailed a 3-pointer 21 seconds into the second half for a 47-30 NSU lead.
The Bears trailed by 13 with 9:52 left after a Mosley dunk, but a Crawford 3-pointer and a conventional three-point play by Miles spurred a run of 17-2, including three straight 3-pointers from Bremmer in a 45-second span to vault the visitors ahead 65-64 with 6:21 to go.
The Demons went ahead 70-67 with 2:59 to go on a Mosley free throw, but Bremmer's last 3 tied the game 15 seconds later. Mosley and Miles traded free throws in the next minute, keeping it tied at 71 until Jacobs gave NSU its last lead.
"Give credit for UCA making a great comeback. They knocked down shots, made defensive stops and were great on 3-pointers," said 13th-year Demons coach Mike McConathy, who coached his 900th career collegiate game in 29 seasons, including 16 at Bossier Parish Community College. "They went to a zone defense and we tried to be too careful, and got passive offensively. We did not make the plays in the final two minutes and UCA did.
"It's a disappointing outcome, losing at home. Now we have to go on the road and steal one someplace," he said.
Northwestern goes to Texas-San Antonio next Wednesday, then visits McNeese next Saturday. The Demons have two home games the following week, Jan. 25 against Lamar and Jan. 28 when Southeastern Louisiana comes to Prather Coliseum, where the Demons are 19-4 in the past two seasons.
