SMU tops UNB in a nail-biting first game of Think Pink weekend

(FREDERICTON, N.B.) - The UNB Varsity Reds men's basketball team fell 95-92 in a nail-biting first game of Think Pink weekend in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Richard J. Currie Center.

For the Varsity Reds, it was a heartbreaking end to a game that had local fans on the edge of their seats. 

The score was close throughout the eighty-five minutes of play, but this was especially true in the fourth quarter. With just 10 seconds on the clock, UNB was up by one point when a foul sent the Huskies' Achuil Lual to the line. He made one of two free throws to send the game into overtime.

The Huskies kept this momentum going through the five minutes of extra play, successfully holding UNB at bay. Despite some valiant attempts by the V-Reds' Javon Masters, SMU would take home the win.

UNB head coach Brent Baker says he knew coming in that this was going to be a different story than when the two teams met up in Halifax in November. That time, UNB went home with two wins.

"I think we caught them by surprise down there," Baker said. "But I'm not surprised by them. I know they're really athletic and they're really a very good team, so this is not a surprise. This is just the way the conference is, and it's going to be a grind every night so we got to be prepared. I don't think in the first half our team was ready to grind."

Leading the scoring for the Varsity Reds was Javon Masters with an incredible 37 points, well above his already impressive average of 25 points per game so far this season.

Leading scoring for the Huskies were Marquis Clayton with 23 points and Osman Barrie with 22. SMU's Achuil Lual absolutely dominated the rebound game with 14 - including 12 defensive rebounds. UNB's leading rebounders were Ryan Smith and Will McFee with five each.

The Varsity Reds and the Huskies will meet again Saturday, Jan 10 at 3 p.m. at the Richard J. Currie Center.

Source: UNB Sports Information