HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - In a Sun Belt Conference title game for the ages, Soloman Bozeman hit a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left to lift UALR to a 64-63 win over UNT and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. In a game that featured 17 lead changes, Bozeman went the length of the court with seven seconds left in the game to make the game-winning shot.
The second half went back and forth as neither team led by more than five points until late. With the game tied at 52-52 and under five minutes left, the Mean Green (22-11) reeled off seven straight points, keyed by a 3-pointer from Shannon Shorter.
With the Mean Green leading 59-52 with 1:40 left in the game, UALR (19-16) used six straight free throws to cut the lead to a point at 59-58 with 48 seconds left.
Josh White would hit a clutch 3-pointer with 25 seconds left to play to put the Mean Green up 62-58 with 25 seconds left to play. UALR answered with a 3-pointer from Matt Mouzy with 17 seconds left to make it a one-point game at 62-61. A Tristan Thompson free throw with seven seconds left put UNT up by two points at 63-61 before the game-winning shot by Bozeman.
UNT scored the first five points of the game 60 seconds into the game. UALR responded with a 9-2 run to take a two-point lead at 9-7 with 15:03 left in the first half.
Thompson gave UNT a 23-19 edge with under five minutes to play in the first half with his second 3-pointer.
UALR answered with a 13-2 run over the next three minutes to take a 32-27 lead, but UNT scored the final five points to end the half as the game was tied at 32-32. The game featured seven lead changes in the first half.
UNT placed three players on the All-Tournament Team: Thompson, White and George Odufuwa. Bozeman was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.