ARLINGTON -- Locked in a back-and-forth game that featured eight lead changes, UT Arlington clung to a five-point lead with 2:10 to play when UT San Antonio guard Michael Hale III launched a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
Thing is, that shot didn't even get past leaping Greg Gainey, who swatted it and tossed it ahead to Kevin Butler for a lay-in that brought the College Park Center crowd to its feet.Seven free throws later, UTA (12-9, 7-5 WAC) had a 68-63 win on Saturday night."That was all about the scouting report," Gainey said. "Coach told us he was going to come off the screen and shoot and he did. I'm a leaper, so I just went up and blocked it."Gainey, a junior forward, stole the show. He had 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench in his biggest game in front of the home crowd. He exploited holes in the UTSA defense that placed him wide open underneath the basket multiple times."We started using Jordan [Reves] against their guard at the top of the paint to see if he could block him from getting to his spot, and it left [Gainey] wide open down there," coach Scott Cross said.Cross said he worried he didn't work on the zone offense enough in practice, but his Mavericks played it better than they have all season. They shot 47 percent from the field.Butler followed his 21-point game on Thursday with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting.UTSA (5-18, 1-12 WAC) built its offensive game plan around the 3-pointers, shooting 36 threes from beyond the arc. Those 3-pointers caught up to them, however. After making 7 of 15 in the first half, UTSA was only 5 for 21 in the second half.UTA outscored UTSA in the paint 28-8, but the WAC's leading scorer, Kannon Burrage, led all scorers with 22 points.
UT San Antonio breezes past UT Arlington women
Florida International moves ahead of North Texas women
Nothing gets the blood boiling like college recruiting season
'Tougher' West Virginia topples TCU men
TCU women can't hold early lead, lose big to Texas Tech
Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
