Graduate student Javed Choudhari reaches for the ball at tipoff during a game against Eastern Washington University on March 14 at College Park Center. Choudhari contributed six points and four rebounds.
UTA men’s wheelchair basketball (5-5) beat Eastern Washington University 96-34 Saturday at College Park Center.
The game was the Movin’ Mavs’ first of the season in the arena and ended the team’s four-game losing streak, a result of losing all its games in the Auburn March College Tournament the weekend before.
Junior Dillon Mitchell shouts to his teammates across the court during a game against Eastern Washington University on March 14 at College Park Center. Mitchell had 10 points and six assists.
UTA opened the game with a 17-0 run and never relinquished the double-digit lead. The Movin’ Mavs spent most of the game increasing the deficit, leading by 29 at halftime and 52 after the third quarter.
“Offensively, we played really good this morning. We’re shooting the ball really well,” head coach Aaron Gouge said. “The defense, we started a little slow, but we really picked it up after that second quarter and extended it to the rest of the game.”
Freshman Shawn Simmions came off the bench and led the Movin’ Mavs in scoring throughout the game, tallying 18 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Freshman Shawn Simmions shoots the ball during a game against Eastern Washington University on March 14 at College Park Center. Simmons led the Movin’ Mavs with 18 points.
“I definitely wanted to do a little bit more defensively. I’m used to getting a lot of blocks and steals and stuff like that, but for the most part defensively, I played pretty sound,” Simmions said. “Offensively, I had a lot of easy looks, and really credit to my teammates for seeing me and giving me the ball.”
Junior Lionel Tamoki had a triple-double in the matchup, scoring 16 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and making 11 assists. He led the team in rebounds and assists.
“I did something good. I missed some easy looks. I had some bad reads defensively,” Tamoki said. “I’m not going to sit here and say that I played bad, but there’s always improvements that can be made, especially whenever we’re going to play those bigger schools, better teams.”
Head coach Aaron Gouge directs the team during a game against Eastern Washington University on March 14 at College Park Center. The Movin’ Mavs won 96-34.
The Movin’ Mavs played two more games Saturday, losing to The University of Alabama 72-64 and beating Eastern Washington again 82-44.
The team is set to close out the UTA College Classic tournament with two games Sunday, both at the College Park Center. UTA will face the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at 8 a.m. and Alabama again at noon.
Junior Lionel Tamoki prepares for a rebound during a game against Eastern Washington University on March 14 at College Park Center. Tamoki recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.
Alabama made up half of UTA’s losses in the Auburn March College Tournament, and Gouge said he hopes his team can turn the tide at its home court.
“We’re really looking to play better defensively against them this weekend. They have a couple of really amazing players on their team,” Gouge said. “We’re looking to limit the shots to their top two guys and for some other guys to beat us.”
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