Heien's Three Helps SDSU Defeat Pan American

Saturday, February 25

Edinburg, Texas

TBA

South Dakota State University

Texas-Pan American

1/1/1970 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Eric Heien’s three-point basket with 1:09 to play gave South Dakota State a 55-53 lead and the Jacks held on to defeat Texas-Pan American 57-53 in non-conference men’s basketball Saturday afternoon at Edinburg, TX.

The Jacks fought an uphill battle all afternoon but won the closing eight minutes 19-6 after falling behind by nine at 47-38 following a basket by UTPA’s Zach Trader with 8:25 to play.

With the victory, the Jacks improved to 9-18 for the season, and finished the month of February 4-3. SDSU will close its season next weekend with road games at San Diego State, Friday night, and Cal State-Fullerton, Sunday afternoon.

Ben Beran scored 12 points in the second half and led the Jacks with a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double. Michael Loney scored 11, nine in the second half.

UTPA took an 8-4 in the first four minutes and the Jacks trailed until Beran scored off a rebound go put SDSU ahead 51-49 with 4:04 to play. The Jacks tied it at 17 and 19 in the first half, but UTPA then rattled home six straight points and was ahead 29-25 at halftime.

UTPA then pushed it to 37-28 on a pair of free throws by Dexter Shankle. Back-to-back baskets by Beran cut it to 37-32, but the Broncs prevented a longer run by the Jacks when Larry Sheppard hit two free throws.

Loney scored a pair of free throws, then scored off a rebound, was fouled and hit a free throw closing it within 47-46. When Heien hit a three from the corner, the game was tied at 49. After UTPA missed a shot, the Jacks got the lead when Beran scored on a rebound.

With SDSU leading 52-51, Sheppard scored on a break-away after a steal putting UTPA back on top with 1:15 to play. That was UTPA’s only field goal in the closing eight minutes.

After Heien’s basket, UTPA missed a shot and Beran was fouled on the rebound with six seconds left. He made the second of two shots pushing it to 56-53. After UTPA inbounded the ball, the Jacks fouled Sheppard and he missed the front end of a 1&1 with five seconds left, with Beran rebounding again. He was fouled, made the front end of two free throws with 3.4 seconds left giving SDSU its four-point lead. The Jacks were called for a lane violation but it didn’t matter as time ran out on UTPA.

Colin Lien led UTPA with 16 points.

SDSU shot 39 per cent (22x57) for the game while UTPA shot 41 per cent (22x54) but was just 8-for-26, 30.8 per cent, after halftime. SDSU also had a 43-30 rebound advantage, but committed 18 turnovers, 14 of those in the first half.

South Dakota State 57, Texas-Pan American 53
SDSU (9-18)
Michael Loney 4-9 3-3 11, Ben Beran 8-18 2-3 19, Andy Kleinjan 1-6 0-0 2, Matt Cadwell 3-11 2-4 9, Jose Frias 1-4 2-2 3, Mackenzie Casey 1-2 0-0 2, Eric Heien 3-6 0-0 8, Mike Steffen 1-1 0-0 2, Chris Wagner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-57 9-12 57.

UTPA (7-22)
Dexter Shankle 3-9 4-4 11, Kano Edwards 5-11 2-2 12, Colin Lien 8-14 0-3 16, Alex Robinson 3-3 0-0 6, Larry Sheppard 1-7 2-7 4, Danny Puente 0-5 0-0 0, Zach Trader 2-5 0-0 4. Totals 22-54 8-16 53.

Halftime - UTPA 29, SDSU 25.

FG% - SDSU .386, UTPA .407. 3-pt FG - SDSU 4-22 (Heien 2-5, Beran 1-4, Cadwell 1-5, Frias 0-1, Casey 0-1, Kleinjan 0-4), UTPA 1-12 (Shankle 1-5, Sheppard 0-3, Puente 0-4). Rebounds - SDSU 43 (Beran 11), UTPA 30 (Sheppard 6). Fouls - SDSU 14, UTPA 18. Fouled out - none. Assists - SDSU 15 (Cadwell 5), UTPA 13 (Shankle 4). Steals - SDSU 7 (Loney 2, Heien 2), UTPA 6 (Sheppard 3). Blocked shots - SDSU 0, UTPA 5 (Edwards 3). Turnovers - SDSU 18, UTPA 13. Attendance - 1500.