PINE BLUFF — Good news for anyone starved for optimism regarding Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s dismal season: The defense might be turning a corner.

Problem being, the Golden Lions offense remains stuck in reverse.

UAPB’s 23-17 loss to Alabama A&M before 8, 513 Saturday at Golden Lion Stadium hit all the familiar lowlights. The Golden Lions completed less than half their passes, managed only 133 total yards and, worse yet, saw their bread-and-butter running attack held to 20 net yards.

And yet, UAPB’s defense kept the Bulldogs sweating all the way to the final horn.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I thought it was the best team outing we’ve had all season,” Golden Lions Coach Monte Coleman said. “I think this was our best performance overall, but we’ve got to turn the corner.”

But missed opportunities slowed the Golden Lions throughout the game, and it started on Alabama A&M’s first possession when Kevin Thornton intercepted Kevin Atkins after Atkins was hit by Jared Dorn.

Yet despite starting at the Bulldog 24, the field position went to waste when Jonathan Moore threw the first of his two interceptions.

There were other blown chances and mental mistakes.

After a Carlos Reyes field goal cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 6-3 early in the second quarter, a 43-yard kickoff return by Thomas Harris followed by a 15-yard run plus a holding penalty gave Alabama A&M the ball at the UAPB 20.

That set up a 20-yard touchdown run by Anthony Green, capping a 27 second scoring drive.

“Give a team like that a short field, it’s hard,” Coleman said.

Down 20-3 near the end of the half, UAPB got a jolt after Atkins was intercepted by Joseph Brown. Moore then hit Danny Evans on a 57-yard touchdown pass — only the second touchdown pass of the season for the Golden Lions.

But instead of a 10-point halftime deficit, UAPB ended the half down 23-10 after Jeremy Licea hit a 40-yard field goal with no time left on the clock. Licea had initially set up for a 45-yard kick, which missed badly. But an offside call on the Golden Lions shortened the distance for Licea, who made good on his second chance.

UAPB’s best stretch of football came right at the start of the second half, when Thornton intercepted Atkins and returned the ball to the Bulldogs’ 18. The Golden Lions then plowed through with a 3-yard touchdown run by Martell Mallett, putting UAPB within six.

“They got two big turnovers that gave them 14 points,” Alabama A&M Coach Anthony Jones said. “They’re a very opportunistic football team. There’s something about them, when they get turnovers, they feed off it.”

Unfortunately, that was the last time the Bulldogs would give up the football. And even though Alabama A&M didn’t do much in the way of second-half drives, it didn’t need to.