Box Score Box Score
NATCHITOCHES – There's something about playing in-state rival Northwestern State that brings out the best in Southeastern Louisiana's
Brandon Fortenberry.
Fortenberry, the Lions' junior point guard, scored a career-high 30 points to lead three players in double figures and Southeastern captured its sixth straight game against its Southland Conference rival in a 76-68 victory Saturday afternoon at Prather Coliseum.
The win by Southeastern (12-10, 6-4 Southland) marked its fourth victory in its last five contests and fourth against a division leader. The Lions, who earlier defeated Northwestern State (15-11, 7-4 Southland) in Hammond, also posted wins over then East Division leader McNeese State (Jan. 19) and in its previous game on Wednesday against West co-leader UTSA.
Fortenberry, who nearly recorded a triple double (22 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists) in Wednesday's 79-73 win over UTSA, matched his season high with nine assists and held the Demons at bay in the final half-minute as he sank six consecutive free throws.
Despite playing just five minutes and being held without a point against NSU last season, Fortenberry increased his scoring average against the Demons to 17.0 points in five career games while shooting 25-for-42 (59.5 percent) from the floor and 26-for-31 (83.9 percent) from the free throw line.
Fortenberry, who had 19 points in the Lions' 93-84 win over Northwestern State two weeks ago, finished 8-for-14 from the floor and went 12-for-13 from the free throw line as Southeastern overcame a 23-for-58 (39.7 percent) performance from the floor
Trent Hutchin added 16 points, including four 3-pointers for Southeastern while
Gary Dixon added 12 going 4-for-6 from behind the 3-point line. The Lions finished 10-for-23 from behind the 3-point line, 20-for-29 from the charity stripe and outrebounded the Demons, 48-32, including 19 on the offensive end.
Southeastern used a 16-4 run in the first half that saw a 19-17 deficit turn into a 33-23 lead on a 3-pointer by Hutchin with 4:05 remaining in the first half. Hutchin opened the spurt with a pair of free throws that tied the contest at 19-19 before Dixon buried a 3-pointer that gave the Lions a 22-19 lead at the 9:57 mark.
A layup by
David Ndoumba and a 3-pointer by Fortenberry pushed Southeastern's lead to 27-19, before 3-pointers by Dixon and Hutchin gave the Lions their biggest lead of the game.
Northwestern State closed out the half with an 8-0 run to get to within 33-31 at halftime and eventually took a 44-41 lead on a layup by Devon Baker with 15:17 remaining in the game.
William Mosley scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Demons while grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds. The nation's top shot blocker recorded six against the Lions while NSU posted 10 as a team.
Louis Ellis came off the bench to add 15 points for the Demons while Will Pratt added 13 and Baker 12. The Demons finished 26-for-59 (44.1 percent) from the floor, but went 4-for-14 (28.6 percent) from behind the 3-point line and 12-for-25 (48.0 percent) from the free throw line.
Southeastern will open a two-game homestand beginning Wednesday when it plays host to East Division rival Lamar in a 7 p.m. contest at the University Center. Tickets are available by calling the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or on-line at www.LionSports.net. All Southeastern students are admitted free with a valid University ID.
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (12-10, 6-4 SOUTHLAND)
Fortenberry 8-14 12-13 30; Hutchin 5-13 2-2 16; Dixon 4-9 0-0 12; Marks 2-8 3-3 7; Ndoumba 3-8 1-6 7; Johnson 1-4 0-1 2; Patterson 0-2 2-4 2; Harrel 0-0 0-0 0; Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-58 20-29 76.
NORTHWESTERN STATE (15-11, 7-4 SOUTHLAND)
Mosley 8-11 2-8 18; Ellis 6-10 1-3 15; Pratt 5-10 3-7 13; Baker 4-15 4-5 12; McConathy 1-1 0-0 3; Knight 1-3 0-0 3; Davis 0-3 2-2 2; Evans 1-2 0-0 2; Stewart 0-1 0-0 0; Hulbin 0-2 0-0 0; Robinson 0-1 0-0 0; Washington 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-59 12-25 68.
Halftime – SLU 33, NSU 31. 3-point goals – SLU 10-23 (Hutchin 4-9; Dixon 4-6; Fortenberry 2-7; Marks 0-1), NSU 4-14 (Ellis 2-5; Knight 1-1; McConathy 1-1; Davis 0-1; Stewart 0-1; Hulbin 0-1; Baker 0-3; Pratt 0-1). Fouled out - Patterson, Hulbin, Pratt. Rebounds – SLU 48 (Ndoumba 10), NSU 32 (Mosley 12). Assists – SLU 13 (Fortenberry 9), NSU 11 (Baker 5). Total fouls – SLU 21, NSU 21. Technical fouls - None. A – 1,204.
