Munnings’ Big Night Lifts ULM over Men’s Basketball

Thursday, February 8

Statesboro, Ga.

7:30 p.m.

Georgia Southern University

16-9, 7-5SBC

ULM

10-12, 4-7SBC

OT 1

ULM

Georgia Southern

Ike Smith posted 15 points and seven rebounds.

2/8/2018 11:03:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Eagles play host to Louisiana Saturday at 5 p.m. in Hanner.

By: Marc Gignac

STATESBORO – Travis Munnings tallied 26 points and a career-high 20 rebounds to lead ULM to a 66-64 Sun Belt men's basketball victory in overtime over Georgia Southern Thursday night in Hanner Fieldhouse.

ULM's Michael Ertel made a running scoop shot with 11.6 seconds left in regulation to send the contest into the extra period, and Sam McDaniel made an open 3-pointer from the corner that gave the Warhawks the lead for good with 11.3 seconds remaining in overtime.

Ike Smith collected 15 points and seven rebounds for Georgia Southern (16-9, 7-5), and Jake Allsmiller scored 15 points, all in the second half. Mike Hughes finished with 14 points, five rebounds and two assists.

Munnings and McDaniel combined to make 11 of 20 from long distance for ULM (10-12, 4-7), and McDaniel tallied nine rebounds. Munnings' 20 caroms were the most against the Eagles since 2005.

The story
The contest featured 13 lead changes and 10 ties, and neither team led by more than five points. Smith got a steal and a runout dunk to give GS a 57-56 lead, and the Eagles got two straight defensive stops but could not convert at the other end, including missing a pair of free throws.

Allsmiller got a rebound after a blocked shot by Hughes and converted 1 of 2 from the foul line to make the score 58-56 with 28 seconds left, setting up Ertel's game-tying shot. Tookie Brown tried a long 3-pointer as the horn sounded but saw it rim out.

The Eagles took a 64-62 lead with 1:55 left in overtime on a Smith 3-pointer from the corner, but GS was held scoreless the rest of the way. The Eagles lost track of McDaniel on his go-ahead 3-pointer, and Smith had a triple try rim out on their trip down the floor. McDaniel got the rebound and was fouled with 0.9 left and made 1 of 2 from the charity stripe. GS called timeout with 0.6 on the clock, and Shawn O'Connell triggered the long inbounds pass to Hughes just above the free-throw line. His turnaround prayer went unanswered as time expired.

The Eagles shot 29 percent from the floor in the first half, a season-low against Sun Belt competition, and trailed 29-25 at the break. GS was 2 for 6 from the charity stripe in the final 3:30 of regulation.

Quotables from Head coach Mark Byington
On free throws
"We didn't finish the deal, and the free throws are obviously the glaring thing that sticks out. Sometimes, it's a contagious thing, but honestly, I think it comes down to focus. We weren't focused in all areas of the game, and free throws were no different. I have to get guys who can stay focused on the defensive game plan, and I have to do a better job helping them to understand how hard we have to play. It was a lack of focus in all areas, and we didn't play hard enough and we ran into a team that had some tough match-ups and had some guys who can play. They made shots, and we couldn't stop them."

On defense
"I was nervous about this game coming in. I told the guys we're going to have to have really good team defense, and we let things go. Our team defense wasn't good. At times, it was good and we'd force a bad shot and then give up an offensive rebound. In a possession game, everything is important. Every little detail, every free throw, every box out, every missed defensive assignment are important, and we have to do a better job with it."

Next up
Georgia Southern hosts first-place Louisiana Saturday at 5 p.m. in Hanner Fieldhouse. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 and WSAV-CW in Savannah. Promotions: Pack the House in Pink – Join us in the fight against Breast Cancer. Make sure you wear pink to the game to show your support. The tumbling and jumping gymnastics group, the Rocket Stars will be performing at halftime. The GS coaching staff will be raising money for autism through Coaches Powering Forward for Autism benefiting Autism Speaks. The coaches will be wearing the blue puzzle piece pin on their suit jackets during the game. This is part of college basketball's autism awareness weekend, an effort started by Towson head men's basketball coach Pat Skerry and USF assistant men's basketball coach Tom Herrion.

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