DALTON, Ga. – The University of Tennessee Southern men's basketball team hit the road to face Dalton State College on Monday. UT Southern fell behind early just before halftime but ran out of time for a late game charge to comeback falling 75-62.
Three Firehawks marked the scorebook in double figures. Zaiden Cross led UTS with 13 points. Mike Bell, Jr. tossed in 11 points. Eric Robinson contributed 10 points
UT Southern fell behind early trailing DSU 7-0. Robinson got the Firehawks on the board with a long bomb with 17:43 left in the half. DSC stretched the lead back out to as many as seven over the next four minutes, but a Firehawk 5-0 run had UTS trailing 14-12 at the first media timeout. Cold shooting woes continued to plague the Firehawks, as the Roadrunners compiled an 12-2 run over the next seven minutes. The Firehawks closed back to within six with 90 seconds left, but DSU scored the final six points of the half to lead 38-26. UTS shot 10-28 for 36 percent from the field and 3-12, 25 percent, from range. Both teams were perfect from the line, with DSU making 10 free-throws to UTS' three.
Facing a large deficit in the second half, UTS started slowly in the early going falling behind by 15 in the opening five minutes. the opening lead after an 11-2 run in the opening six minutes. The Firehawks pulled back to within 11 with three minutes left but couldn't draw any closer.
BY THE NUMBERS
37.7 – UTS shot 23 of 61 for 37.7 percent, five percent behind the Roadrunners.
9 – UTS connected on nine trifectas, six more than DSC.
10 – UTS only made 10 trips to the charity stripe, making seven. DSC  made 27 trips making 22.
34 – UT Southern pulled down 34 rebounds, four less than the Roadrunners.
15 – UTS committed 15 turnovers, three more than DSC.
NEXT UP
The Firehawks will return home on January 11, hosting Loyola. Tipoff is set for two p.m. UTS defeated the WolfPack on November 21, 69-68 in the Cresent City.
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