HAMMOND - Southeastern Louisiana senior center Jazmin Cain blocked a single-game school record 10 shots, to go with 11 points and a career-high 15 rebounds, recording a triple-double to lead the Lady Lions to a 77-59 victory over Northwestern State in Southland Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon in the University Center.
The Lady Lions (13-7, 5-2 SLC) jumped out to an 18-0 lead to open the game and never looked back, as Northwestern State (7-14, 3-5 SLC) never got closer than eight the rest of the way. Southeastern, which remains alone atop the SLC East Division, shot 51.5 percent (17-for-33) from the floor, including 50 percent (6-for-12) from three-point range.
Southeastern extended its winning streak to three games and snapped the Lady Demons' three-game winning streak. The win was Southeastern's first over NSU in Hammond since the 1990-91 season. The Lady Lion victory was the 13th of the season, topping the most single-season wins by Lori Davis Jones during her five-year tenure at Southeastern. Thanks in large part to the domination of Cain, Southeastern out-rebounded NSU, 47-27, in the game.
"We told the team to just go out and have fun today," Jones said. "We felt our players were in a little bit of a rut and we needed to relax and play basketball. When we play with energy we're a different team and we definitely played with extra enthusiasm from the start today."
Southeastern junior guard Brooke Necaise led five Lady Lions in double figures with 15 points. Adding to the balanced attack were senior forward Brenita Williams (13 points), sophomore forward Kristy Carlin (13 points), senior guard Tina Wilson (11 points) and Cain (11 points). Senior guard Whitnee Miller and Williams each dished out five assists.
NSU senior forward Chassidy Jones scored a game-high 21 points to go with seven rebounds, while junior center Ashli Barnum added 18 points and eight rebounds. Only three other Lady Demons scored, as Lyndzee Greene (nine points), Tena Matthews (seven points) and Akilah Givens (four points) got on the board for NSU.
But, the day belonged to Cain, the gritty senior from Mound Bayou, Miss. Cain's 10 blocked shots smashed the previous Lady Lion record of six blocks by Lindsey Prewitt (2004-05) and Rena Faust (1994-95). Cain, who came to Southeastern from Mississippi Delta Community College prior to last season, moved into second place with 86 career blocks. Her 15 rebounds were the most by a Lady Lion this season.
"Jazmin is a player that works hard every day at practice and she was absolutely amazing out there today," Jones commented. "I was as impressed with her attitude after the game as her play during the game. Our players were congratulating her afterwards in the locker room, and she made a point of giving her teammates credit, which shows how unselfish she is.
"She's bought into - as have most all of our players - the idea that her success is not just a result of her actions, but the actions of the team as well," Jones continued. "We're starting to realize that whatever happens to us - good or bad - happens to us as a team."
Southeastern will look to build on its lead in the SLC East on Thursday, hosting McNeese State at 5:45 p.m. in the University Center.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 77, NORTHWESTERN STATE 59
NORTHWESTERN STATE (7-14, 3-5 SLC)
Jones 9-22 1-1 21, Barnum 8-16 2-2 18, Greene 1-13 6-6 9, Matthews 3-8 1-1 7, Givens 1-5 2-2 4, Gertonson 0-0 0-0 0; Isom, B. 0-0 0-0 0, Isom, N. 0-2 0-0 0, Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Knox 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-67 12-12 59.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (13-7, 5-2 SLC)
Necaise 6-9 0-0 15, Carlin 6-8 1-1 13, Williams 5-11 3-3 13, Wilson 4-9 2-4 11, Cain 4-6 3-6 11, Labat 2-3 0-0 6, Gross 2-3 0-0 4, Miller 1-7 2-3 4; Sinclair 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-56 11-17 77.
Halftime Score - SLU 42, NSU 23. 3-point goals-NSU 3-20 (Jones 2-6, Greene 1-10, Matthews 0-2, Givens 0-2), SLU 6-12 (Necaise 3-6, Labat 2-2, Wilson 1-3, Carlin 0-1). Fouled out--None. Rebounds-NSU 27 (Barnum 8), SLU 47 (Cain 15). Assists-NSU 8 (Jones 3), SLU 14 (Miller, Williams 5). Total fouls-NSU 14, SLU 9. A-421.
