Jones' 21 pts lead UT Arlington past Texas Southern, 89-81
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Jalen Jones scored 21 points and led four players into double figure scoring as UT Arlington held off Texas Southern, 89-81 in the season opener Saturday night.
The Mavericks built their lead in the first half, taking a 45-38 lead into intermission.
The game was billed as a showcase for two of the top college forwards from the state of Texas: UT Arlington's Kevin Hervey and Texas Southern's Derrick Griffin. Hervey scored 16 points and grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds to get the better of the matchup. Griffin finished with seven points and three boards in 35 minutes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kaelon Wilson finished with 18 points for the Mavericks, the preseason favorites to win the Sun Belt Conference. All five starters from a year ago return for UT Arlington.
Zach Lofton poured in 37 points to lead Texas Southern, the preseason favorites to win the Southwestern Conference.