Conway, Ark. -- The Stetson University men's basketball team fell 79-75 to University of Central Arkansas Saturday afternoon as the Hatters nearly overcame an 18-point deficit at the Farris Center.
Saturday's contest began as a back-and-forth bout as the Hatters (10-13, 4-6 ASUN) and the Bears (7-15, 4-5) traded blows in the opening minutes. From the 13:57 mark to the 12:26 mark, Stetson went on a 5-0 run capped off by a Christiaan Jones dunk to force a UCA timeout. After their timeout, the Bears remained within one possession until 2:00 left in the half when UCA took a 31-27 lead. After the Hatters were unable to get a last second shot off before the break, the Bears held a 33-31 edge headed to the locker room.
The Hatters deficit grew in the second half as UCA led off the second stanza with a 10-0 run as Jared Chatham scored six of the 10 UCA points. By the 17:06 mark, the Hatters faced a 42-31 deficit. Alvin Tumblin ended Stetson's scoring drought as the freshman sunk two free throws after drawing a shooting foul. Stetson continued to face a double-digit deficit until Chase Johnston made it a seven-point game with back-to-back 3-pointers, capping off an 11-0 Hatter run with 6:30 left in regulation. Down the stretch, the Bears continued to hold a two-possession lead, but with 14 seconds left, a Wheza Panzo steal, and a Jones layup made it a 78-75 game. With eight seconds left, the Hatters were forced to fouland Collin Cooper missed his first free throw attempt but sank his second and broke the Hatters two-game win streak.
Stephan Swenson recorded his first career 20-point game as the sophomore guard went 6-for-8 from the field and 7-of-8 from the stripe. Jones tallied his third 20-point game of the year as he and Swenson led all Hatters scorers on the day. Johnston and Tumblin rounded out the Hatters offense as the pair recorded 13 and 10, respectively.
Stetson's defense was on display Saturday as the Hatters had 11 steals and seven blocks with four from Tumbin.
The Stetson men 's basketball team will be back in action on Wednesday, Feb. 9 as the Hatters return to the Edmunds Center to host Jacksonville State for their final regular season ASUN West Division matchup. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.
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