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CEDAR CITY — The woes continue for the Southern Utah men's basketball team.
After falling last week to in-state rival Utah Valley, the Thunderbirds gave Stephen F. Austin a run for its money, but suffered an 84-82 loss, which was the fifth game this season Southern Utah has fallen by one score and the fifth straight conference game.
The Lumberjacks entered the game ranked third in the WAC, while the Thunderbirds sat, and still sit, dead last.
Of the nine Thunderbirds players that touched the court, six reached double-digit scoring. Dominique Ford put up 20 points for the third time this season to lead the Southern Utah flock.
The Lumberjacks, on the other hand, had 11 players score at least one field goal, with Matt Hayman leading all scorers with 24 points, just one shy of tying a career high.
The two teams did nothing but swap punches in the first half and wound up tied 43-43 at the break. Stephen F. Austin outshot Southern Utah 16-12 in field goal attempts, including going 5-of-11 from 3-point range, but the Thunderbirds picked up the slack in other ways.
After drawing 12 fouls from the Lumberjacks, the Thunderbirds were granted 16 free throw opportunities and took advantage of each one.
The Lumberjacks took advantage of some late-game frustration from Thunderbirds head coach Rob Jeter and his Southern Utah team. With their biggest lead of the game at 9 points and just under seven minutes left, the Lumberjacks had Jeter hanging his head.
But a 4-point play by Southern Utah's Zion Young appeared to turn the tide.
The Thunderbirds went on a 13-4 run to erase the Lumberjacks lead to knot the game up at 82-82.
With 11 seconds left, Southern Utah's Braden Housley took to the hoop for a layup attempt but was called for an offensive foul as the shot went in. The turnover gave Stephen F. Austin a chance for a game-winner, and AJ Cajuste got the shot.
The layup was deflected and the fans in Cedar City were on their feet, but it was considered a goaltending violation by Jamari Sibley that signed the Thunderbirds' death certificate. Cajuste was granted the points and, with it, the win.
"Heartbreak, you know? You play that whole game, and to lose it the way we did, I just really feel for my guys," Jeter said. "I really wanted them to get a win tonight."
The Lumberjacks shot an impressive 57.1% from the field on 32-of-56 shooting and earned 50 of their points in the paint. They did this while holding Southern Utah to just 28 points in the paint and forcing 18 turnovers, the Thunderbirds' highest total this season.
The victory was Stephen F. Austin's first over Southern Utah, dating back to their first matchup in 1991.
Now 5-11 on the season, the Thunderbirds continue WAC play with a home contest against Utah Tech on Thursday. Meanwhile, the 11-6 Lumberjacks will return to Texas to host Seattle University on the same night.
