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CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP) - Steve Barnes hit a tie-breaking 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:46 remaining, and David Marek made two free throws with 13.3 seconds left, leading Southern Utah to a 68-65 win over Western Illinois on Thursday.
Swaney Cooper scored 17 points and had eight rebounds, both career highs, for Southern Utah (13-8, 3-3), while Barnes scored 15 points and had six assists.
Nurudeen Adepoju had 12 points and Orlando Griego scored 10 points for the Thunderbirds, who sent Western Illinois (4-17, 0-6) to its 11th straight loss.
Sammy Hunter, Troy Okeson and Jerryck Owens-Murrey scored 11 points each for the Leathernecks.
After Okeson's jumper from the foul line tied the game 63-63 with 2:15 to play, Western Illinois called a timeout.
With the shot clock winding down, Barnes dribbled to his right off Cooper's screen and hit his third 3-pointer of the second half, giving the Thunderbirds a 66-63 lead.
Chris Gonzalez, who had consecutive 3-pointers earlier in the second half, tried to tie it with a 3-point shot from the left wing, but Cooper blocked it.
David Jackson's two free throws brought the Leathernecks within a point, 66-65, with 15.2 seconds left, and Western Illinois called another timeout.
Marek entered the game for the first time during the break. He was fouled on the inbounds pass and hit both free throws with 13.3 seconds to play.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-01-25-07 2138MST
