THE UST Growling Tigers continued to struggle in the second round of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament, dropping their fifth straight game against the NU Bulldogs, 76-65, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, Nov. 11.
With UST down by five early in the first quarter, 9-4, the Tigers blasted with an 8-0 run highlighted by four Christian Manaytay points to take a three-point cushion.
However, that was the only time the Tigers led in the game.
The Bulldogs responded with an 11-4 blitz to take back their lead at the end of the first quarter.
A close 15-12 second quarter allowed NU to extend its lead to seven at halftime.
NU continued its momentum in the second half, pulling away with an 18-10 output ignited by the trio of Jake Figueroa, Kean Baclaan and Patrick Yu, 53-38.
Trailing by 17 late in the final quarter, 71-54, the Tigers went on an 11-5 spark, which proved too late as NU’s lead was too much to overcome.
NU drained nine triples, while UST only sank one out of its 22 attempts from beyond the arc.
Manaytay paced UST with 14 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Baclaan and Yu steered the Bulldogs with 13 and 12 markers, respectively. They combined for nine assists.
With the loss, the Tigers dropped to a 1-11 win-loss slate, while NU kept themselves in the hunt for the solo first with a 10-2 card alongside UP.
The Growling Tigers will next face the Fighting Maroons on Nov. 15, Wednesday, 1 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.
