Livingston scores 31, game-winner in 81-80 Red Wolves win
JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) Anthony Livingston scored a career-high 31 points, including the game-winner, to lift Arkansas State over UT Arlington 81-80 on Thursday night.
Erick Neal's 3-pointer gave UTA an 80-79 lead with 32 seconds left before Livingston followed his offensive rebound with a putback with 13 seconds remaining. A final shot by Neal missed as time ran out.
With 15 rebounds, Livingston, who made 13 of 14 free throws, collected his 13th double-double, the most for an Arkansas State player in a season since Jeff Clifton had 13 in 1993-94. Federic Dure hit five 3-pointers in adding 20 points for the Red Wolves (11-15, 6-11 Sun Belt).
Neal and Jamel Outler had 21 points apiece for the Mavericks (15-12, 9-8).
The Red Wolves had a 15-point lead in the first half before the Mavericks cut it to two at halftime. Neither team led by more than five in the second half.
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Matias, Wideman lead Georgia Southern to 77-58 victory
BOONE, N.C. (AP) Angel Matias scored 15 points and Trent Wiedeman 12 to lead Georgia Southern to a 77-58 victory over Appalachian State on Thursday night.
The victory gave the Eagles (20-6, 13-4 Sun Belt) their first 20-win season since 2005-06 and the eighth in their Division I era.
Frank Eaves scored 15 points for the Mountaineers (9-17, 6-11), who dropped their fifth consecutive game.
Matias hit a 3-pointer in the game's second minute and the Eagles never trailed, leading 20-2 with 10:44 left before the break. The Eagles led by as many as 24 in the second half.
The Eagles outscored the Mountaineers 44-22 in the paint and 17-5 off turnovers. Georgia State shot 48.3 percent and outrebounded Appalachian State 38-26.
The victory kept Georgia Southern on top in the Sun Belt, sharing first place with Louisiana-Monroe with three regular-season games remaining.
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UL Monroe gets 75-57 win over South Alabama
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) Justin Roberson scored 18 points and Majok Deng added a double-double to lead UL Monroe in a 75-57 victory over South Alabama on Thursday night.
UL Monroe (19-9, 13-4) remains tied with Georgia Southern for first place in the Sun Belt Conference.
Roberson finished just one shy of his career-high, and shot 6 of 9 from the free throw line. Deng and Tylor Ongwae each finished with 14 points, and Deng added 13 boards.
The Jaguars (9-20, 7-11) trailed by 11 points after the start of the second half, but six-straight from Ken Williams cut the difference to three with 13:48 to play. South Alabama then went the next 3:44 without a point, and Louisiana-Monroe took off from there.
Williams scored 21 points, hitting four 3-pointers, to lead the Jaguars. South Alabama was out-boarded 41-29, and committed 14 turnovers.
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UALR handles Georgia State 92-83
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) J.T. Thomas sank four 3-pointers and finished with 17 points to help UALR to a 92-83 win that knocked Georgia State out of a three-way tie atop the Sun Belt Conference on Thursday night.
Mareik Isom also pumped in 17 points while Maurius Hill and James Reid added 16 apiece for UALR (13-15, 8-10 Sun Belt), which shot 50 percent from the field on 62 attempts. Josh Hagins had 10 points.
The Trojans broke open a 33-26 lead in the first half with a 10-2 run sparked by Isom's 3-pointer and never trailed the rest of the way. Georgia State (19-9, 12-5) trimmed the gap to 45-42 with Ryan Harrow's layup early in the second half but it was as close as the Panthers would get.
Harrow scored 22 and R.J. Hunter added 21 for Georgia State. Markus Crider had 18 points and eight rebounds.
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Gant, Black help Texas State beat Troy 67-61
SAN MARCOS, Texas (AP) Emani Gant had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Ojai Black hit three free throws in the final 32 seconds to help Texas State hold off Troy for a 67-61 win on Thursday night.
Kavin Gilder-Tilbury scored 13 for Texas State (12-14, 6-11 Sun Belt), which snapped a four-game losing streak.
A layup by Gilder-Tilbury gave Texas State a 10-point lead with 3:10 left, but Troy (10-17, 5-13) scored 11 of the next 15 and cut its deficit to 64-61 when Musa Abdul-Aleem hit a 3 with 35 seconds to play.
Black made two free throws and, after Abdul-Aleem missed a 3-pointer on the other end, Black made 1 of 2 from the stripe with 16 seconds remaining to seal it.
John Walton III led four Troy players in double figures with 16 points. Kevin Thomas added 14, Wesley Person Jr. scored 13 and Abdul-Aleem 11.