MOBILE, Ala. - Following a four-point loss to Point University in West Point, Ga. on Oct. 23 to begin the 2021-22 season, the University of Mobile Men's Basketball team hosted Tennessee Wesleyan University on Wednesday, Oct. 27 for the Rams' first game of the season in Pharr Gymnasium. Mobile and Tennessee Wesleyan played a hard-fought game on Wednesday as the game took overtime to decide a winner. The Bulldogs of Tennessee Wesleyan managed to win the game in overtime over Mobile, 83-78.
Prior to Wednesday's game, local sports radio station, WNSP, aired their morning show from the University of Mobile campus to set up Mobile's home opener on Wednesday evening. The WNSP morning show brought on several guests with ties to the University of Mobile Men's Basketball program, including former Rams Rovertus Kimble and Phillip Murphy who were members of the 1999 NAIA National Runner-Up team for Mobile. Current Mobile Head Coach Darnell Archey, as well as University of Mobile President Dr. Lonnie Burnett, were also guests on the WNSP morning show Wednesday morning.
In Wednesday's game, the Rams led for much of the first half. However, turnovers haunted Mobile late in the half as Tennessee Wesleyan managed to capitalize on the turnovers and take a four-point lead going into the break. Mobile committed nine turnovers in the first half alone and the Bulldogs scored nine points off those turnovers. Head Coach Darnell Archey said at halftime that his team needs to limit the turnovers, box out better, and work better in transition in the second half.
In the second half, Mobile was much better in taking care of the ball, committing just four turnovers. Similar to the first half, the Rams led for the majority of the second half, but Tennessee Wesleyan managed a late comeback to tie the game. The Rams led by three with just 90 seconds left on the clock.Â
Mobile drew up one final play with 14 seconds on the clock to try and score their first win of the season, but a turnover gave the ball to Tennessee Wesleyan with two seconds remaining and the game eventually went to overtime tied at 70.
In overtime, Tennessee Wesleyan managed 13 points, committing no turnovers in the five-minute overtime. Mobile committed two turnovers and missed some shots late. Mobile only scored eight points in overtime, allowing the Bulldogs to steal the win.
Offensively, Mobile shot 51% from the floor and 39% from the behind the arch for three. Mobile's free-throw percentage sat at 59% in the game, a number that Darnell Archey would like to see improved on.
Mobile's Logan Foutz led all scorers with 23 points in the loss. Mobile newcomers Joshua Williams and Demariee Jones had great home debuts in Pharr Gymnasium, with Williams scoring 20 points from off the bench and true freshman Jones recording a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore PJ King led Mobile with eight assists and three steals in the loss.Â
After opening up the 2021-22 season against two Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) teams and seeing two losses to begin the year, Mobile is set to hit the road again for a non-conference matchup against Louisiana College, a member of the Red River Athletic Conference. Mobile and Louisiana College's game is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 30 at 4:00 p.m. CT and is the first meeting in their history.
Â
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
