The UST Growling Tigers survived a tense and physical game against the UE Red Warriors to solidify their hold on the fourth spot in UAAP Season 87.
The UST Growling Tigers fended off a late comeback attempt by the UE Red Warriors to secure a 76-67 victory in their UAAP Season 87 men's basketball clash on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
UST improved to 6-7, holding onto fourth place, one game ahead of fifth-placer FEU.
Nic Cabañero led the Tigers with a season-high 27 points, along with eight rebounds and an assist, as UST built an early 27-point advantage in the second quarter.
However, UE fought back and narrowed the deficit in the final minutes.
The Red Warriors though faced a setback when their foreign student-athlete was ejected with 5:13 left in the game after two unsportsmanlike fouls against Mo Tounkara and Gelo Crisostomo.
UE, now at 6-6 after a three-game skid, was paced by Jack Cruz-Dumont’s 19 points but ultimately fell short of the comeback.