ULM overcame a slow start and built as much as a 12-point lead, holding on for a 79-75 win over Coastal Carolina Wednesday night at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
Nika Metskhvarishvili had a career night to pace ULM (8-14 overall, 4-8 Sun Belt Conference), pouring in a career-high 28 points, including 19 points in the first half. He hit 10-of-16 shots from the field while adding seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. Tyreke Locure chipped in 15 points with eight rebounds, three assists and four steals. Jacob Wilson tallied 13 points and Savion Gallion posted 10 points, with both Wilson and Gallion doing all their damage in the second half. The Warhawks shot 47% (26-of-55) from the field and 33% (9-of-27) from 3-point range.
Jacob Meyer led Coastal Carolina (6-17, 3-9) with 18 points and six assists, while Kylan Blackmon picked up 16 points, Braeden MacVicar buried five 3-pointers for 15 points and John Ojiako added 10 points and 13 rebounds in his 14th double-double. Coastal shot 44% (25-of-57) from the floor and 44% (11-of-25) from the 3-point line, including 53% (8-of-15) from downtown in the second half.
ULM started slow, with Coastal Carolina using an 8-0 run to go up 13-2 on a 3-pointer by Blackmon with 14:56 left in the first half. Metskhvarishvili got ULM going with a jumper, and after Locure knocked down a 3-pointer, Metskhvarishvili added a layup for a 7-0 run to get back within four, 13-9, with 11:22 left before halftime.
The Warhawks tied the game at 16 on a 3-point play by Metskhvarishvili with 8:16 to go in the half. The two sides traded points until Jerry Ngopot’s jumper from the right wing put ULM on top for the first time, 22-20, at the 6:12 mark. Coastal never tied the game up or led again.
ULM steadily built out its lead, with Metskhvarishvili sinking two free throws with seven seconds left in the half to lead 33-24. Meyer answered with a jumper from just outside the lane at the buzzer to cut ULM’s lead to seven at halftime, 33-26.
CCU hit its first four 3-point attempts in the second half, with two by Blackmon and two by MacVicar, to get back within two, 42-40, with 15:34 remaining.
Wilson had ULM’s response, hitting a jumper in the lane with the shot clock expiring and then adding a 3-pointer on the next possession to push the lead back to seven, 47-40, with 14:19 on the clock. A layup by Tyreese Watson and a jumper by Locure made it a 9-0 run and a 51-40 advantage with 13:14 to go. A trey by Metskhvarishvili moments later gave ULM its largest lead of the night at 12, 54-42.
The Chanticleers battled back again, getting within five, 57-52, on a triple by Jacob Meyer. However, Watson hit another jumper and Gallion added his first bucket of the night, a 3-pointer, to regain the 10-point lead, 62-52, with 8:09 to play.
Blackmon’s 3-pointer pulled the Chanticleers within five again, 62-57, but Gallion answered with his second trey moments later for the 65-57 lead.
The Warhawks extended the lead back to 10, 73-63, with 1:46 left before CCU made one more charge. ULM made just 6-of-12 free throw attempts in the final 1:46, allowing CCU to get as close as two, 77-75. However, Wilson made two free throws with two seconds remaining to seal the win, 79-75.
ULM plays its final non-conference game at 2 p.m. Saturday when Eastern Michigan visits Fant-Ewing Coliseum for the second round of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.
