Box Score
FORT SMITH, Ark.— In a game that could be a determining factor in the final Heartland Conference standings, the Rattlers lost to Arkansas-Fort Smith, 82-71.
With this game, the Rattlers' record falls to 15-6 overall and 8-5 on the season.
Unlike Thursday night when the Rattlers' shooting was cold for most of the night, four of the Rattlers scored in double-digits against UAFS.
Marvin Binney (Jr., Toronto, Ontario) led with 18 points, followed by
Marvin Whitt (Jr., Birmingham, Ala.) with 14 points.
Joe Monroe (R-Jr., San Antonio) and
JJ Bolton (Jr., Beaumont, Miss.) contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The Rattlers also continued to dominate in the post, pulling down 42 total rebounds to the Lions' 33. Monroe led with nine rebounds, followed by Binney with a season-high eight rebounds. Whitt, Bolton and
Ryan Thomas (Jr., Riverton, Utah) all chipped in five boards apiece.
Binney also led the Ratlers with six assists on the night.
The Lions leapt out to a quick first-half lead with an early eight-point run. The Rattlers struggled to keep it close throughout the first half, coming to within one halfway through the half and then allowing the Lions to push their way back to a seven-point lead.
Going to halftime, the Lions led 39-37.
The Rattlers seemed to play the same type of game in the second half, coming to within one early in the second half and then allowing to Lions to extend their lead to as much as 15 with only five minutes on the clock.
The Lions maintained a double-digit lead for the last eight minutes of regulation; the Rattlers never saw the lead in the game.
The Rattlers return home for a two-game home stand this week. Thursday they will take on Texas-Permian Basin at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Rattlers will face Lubbock Christian.
