ULM got off to a white-hot start, but went ice-cold in the second half, losing 76-71 to FAU on Thursday at FAU Arena.
With a season-high 45 points at halftime, on a blistering 65 percent shooting from the field, the Warhawks (3-14, 2-9) seemed poised for victory at halftime.
Head coach Keith Richard enjoyed what he saw offensively in the first half, but warned his team to be prepared for a second-half surge from the Owls (11-12, 6-6).
“I’ve seen this movie before,” Richard said. “I told them [FAU] was going to make a run. I didn’t know it was going to be in the first four minutes of the second half.”
That run ended up lasting the rest of the game as the Owls shot 51 percent after intermission. ULM struggled to score, shooting a lowly 21 percent in the second half.
Richard pointed to several missed shots under the basket and defensive breakdowns that swung the game FAU’s way.
“We let our guard down at the three-point line and it came back to bite us,” Richard said.
At the five minute mark, Owls guard Jackson Trapp hit two three-pointers on consecutive possessions that put ULM down one point. Forward Jayon James had a chance to regain the lead for the Warhawks at the free-throw line but missed both of his attempts.
After Greg Gantt drained a three to put FAU up four, a scoring outburst from ULM’s Amos Olatayo tied the game. But another timely three-pointer from the Owls put them up for good.
“It was another valiant effort by this group of kids,” Richard said. “They want to win, but we just don’t have enough.”
Olatayo led the Warhawks in scoring with 25 points to go with seven rebounds, two assists and three steals. Jayon James nearly posted a triple-double for ULM, scoring seven points to go along with eight rebounds and a career-high nine assists.
The Warhawks struggled from the free-throw line for the second game in a row, going 16 of 26 for a 61 percent average.
After the weekend’s games in the Sunshine State, ULM returns to Fant-Ewing Coliseum for a home game against North Texas on Thursday, Feb. 14.
