Box Score Box Score
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana's
Roosevelt Johnson, in his first career start, notched his second double-double in the past three games, posted career-highs of 28 points and 13 rebounds as the Lions buried Dillard University, 111-67, on Wednesday at the University Center.
Trent Hutchin added 19 points for Southeastern (4-1), which placed five players in double figures and won its 23rd consecutive non-conference game at home and improved to 17-1 at home over the past two seasons. The game against the NAIA Bleu Devils marked the final home game for the Lions, who will play their next seven contests on the road, until opening Southland Conference play on Jan. 8 against Stephen F. Austin.
Johnson, who started in place of regular-starter
Jason Marks, eclipsed his previous career-high (11) at the 5:10 mark of the first half when his jumper in the paint gave Southeastern a 42-28 lead. The sophomore, who scored a total of 34 points all of last season, finished 7-for-10 from the floor and went 14-for-18 from the free throw line in 24 minutes of action.
“These types of minutes give Roosevelt better options of what to do as we get deeper into the season,” Southeastern head coach Jim Yarbrough said. “As Roosevelt gets more comfortable, that will help open things up for Trent, Brandon (Fortenberry) and
Rodney Jones.”
Johnson and
David Ndoumba, who added a career-high 17 points on 8 of 9 shooting, dominated inside against Dillard as the duo went a combined 15-for-19 from the floor.
Brandon Fortenberry posted season-highs with 13 points and six assists for Southeastern while freshman
Antonnio Benton added season-highs of 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks.
“It was nice to see the front line assert itself,” Yarbrough said. “Coming in, we thought we could exploit it and were able to do so with Roosevelt and David along with
Antonnio Benton who got extended minutes and played very well for us.”
Southeastern opened the game with an 8-2 run, prompting Dillard to call a timeout to regroup with 18:07 left in the opening half.
The Bleu Devils stayed close throughout much of the first half, getting to within 27-23 on a 3-pointer by Lance Bell before Southeastern used an 11-2 run that was capped by a Johnson free throw that gave the Lions a 38-25 lead with 6:17 left in the first half.
Johnson, who scored 19 points in the first half, helped Southeastern push its lead to 57-33 with 1:28 remaining in the first half before Dillard scored the last four points of the half to get to within 20 at the break.
Two more free throws by Johnson at the 10:43 mark of the second half gave Southeastern a commanding 83-52 lead and the Lions would reach the century mark with 4:01 left on a Benton jumper for a 100-59 advantage.
Freshman
Michael Harrel led Southeastern with a season-high eight assists while Jones added a career-high six. The Lions outscored Dillard, 54-30, in the second half as they shot 20-for-31 (64.5 percent) in the final 20 minutes and finished 39-for-64 (60.9 percent) for the game.
Dillard was paced by Bell with 19 points while Lawrence Etah added 12 and Myron McGowan 11. The Bleu Devils finished 22-for-67 (32.8 percent) for the game and were held to 7-for-29 (24.1 percent) from the field in the second half.
Southeastern opens its seven-game roadtrip – its longest since the 1988-89 season – on Saturday when it visits Conference USA member UCF (6-0) in a 3 p.m. CST contest at UCF Arena. The Golden Knights, a former rival of Southeastern in the former Trans America Athletic Conference (now the Atlantic Sun), defeated No. 16 Florida, 57-54.
DILLARD (4-4)
Bell 6-14 3-6 19; Etah 3-15 5-5 12; McGowan 5-11 0-0 11; Johns 3-5 2-4 8; Fluker 2-8 0-0 4; Theard 1-3 0-0 3; Okpalaeze 1-4 1-4 3; Thompson 1-4 0-0 2; Hill 0-0 2-5 2; Harmon 0-0 2-2 2; Jones 0-1 1-2 1; Lewis 0-0 0-0 0; Caston 0-0 0-0 0; Benjamin 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-67 16-28 67.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (4-1)
Johnson 7-10 14-18 28; Hutchin 7-14 2-2 19; Ndoumba 8-9 1-3 17; Fortenberry 4-6 2-3 13; Benton 4-5 2-2 10; Jones 4-6 0-0 9; Campbell 2-6 0-0 5; Patterson 1-4 2-3 4; Harrel 1-2 2-2 4; Lockett 1-2 0-0 2; Curtis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 39-64 25-33 111.
Halftime – SLU 57, Dillard 37. 3-point goals - Dillard 7-26 (Bell 4-12; Etah 1-3; Theard 1-2; McGowan 1-3; Thompson 0-1; Jones 0-1; Fluker 0-4), SLU 8-16 (Hutchin 3-7; Fortenberry 3-4; Campbell 1-2; Jones 1-2; Harrel 0-1). Fouled out - None. Rebounds - Dillard 30 (Hill 4), SLU 50 (Johnson 13). Assists - Dillard 11 (Etah 5), SLU 26 (Harrel 8). Total fouls - Dillard 23, SLU 22. Technical fouls - None. A – 900.
