The University Heights boys’ basketball team claimed its second win of the season over Murray High on Saturday, dispatching the host Tigers 74-62 at the Independence Bank Valentine’s Shootout. UHA beat Murray 68-57 during the first week of January as part of Mustang Madness at McCracken County High School. The win is the Blazers second in a row and third in four games, improving their record to 16-7. The Tigers have lost two of three to slip to 12-14 overall.
UHA fell behind 19-13 in the first quarter, with junior forward TaQuan Hollowell scoring over half the points with 7. The Blazers turned the tables in the second frame, outscoring the Tigers 20-11 to build a 33-30 lead at the halftime break.
Hollowell and senior forward Malik Lovan paced the Blazers with 7 each, followed by junior guards Kyky Tandy and Drew McGowan with 6 each. Junior RaVichael Strickland scored 7 to lead the Tigers, with sophomore Hunter Utley adding 5.
The Blazers erupted for 27 third-quarter points, with Hollowell scoring 8 and McGowan 7 to lead the charge. With eight minutes left to play, they led by 13 at 60-47. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, with Murray unable to put much of a dent in the Blazer lead. The Tigers outscored UHA 15-14, but it was too little, too late, and the Blazers earned the 74-62 victory.
UHA spread the scoring around, easing the burden on leading-scorer Tandy. Hollowell scored 17, one of four Blazers in double figures. McGowan and Crump finished with 16, with Crump name player of the game. Tandy scored 14, Lovan chipped in 9, and junior guard Jaylen Brown had a basket. Strickland’s 12 led the Tigers, followed by Utley and sophomore Noah Merriss with 8 each.
University Heights returns to the court on Tuesday, going on the road to face the Henderson County Colonels (13-10). The Colonels are coming off a 61-47 loss to Madisonville North-Hopkins on Saturday.
