Box Score
HAMMOND – Roosevelt Johnson and
Brandon Fortenberry scored 18 points apiece and Southeastern Louisiana University used a 21-2 run in the second half to rally past Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 67-53, in a Southland Conference game on Saturday at the University Center.
Johnson grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds to record his fifth double-double of the season and 15th of his career as Southeastern (7-11, 5-3 SLC) won its fifth game in its last seven contests. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, which dropped its fourth consecutive game, fell to 2-16 overall and 1-7 in the Southland Conference.
Both teams struggled through the first half as Southeastern went 9-for-25 (36.0 percent) from the floor and 5-for-13 (38.5 percent) from the free throw line while the Islanders were 7-for-29 (24.1 percent) from the field and 1-for-4 from the charity stripe. Southeastern used a 24-6 run over a 9:33 span of the first half, capped by a Johnson jumper that gave the Lions a 25-11 lead with 4:17 remaining.
Southeastern led, 26-16, at halftime before A&M-CC fought back to take the lead. Johnathan Jordan scored seven points in a 14-4 run for the Islanders before a free throw by Nate Maxey with 14:16 tied the game at 30-30.
The Islanders took their biggest lead of the game – 40-36 – on a pair of free throws by Jordan before Southeastern put the game away. Johnson opened the spurt with two free throws before a layup by
Roger Woods and tip-in by Johnson gave the Lions a 42-40 lead.
Fortenberry, who increased his career scoring total to 1,131 points and moved past former Lion Thelander “Legs” Tillman (1,126 points, 1981-85) into 11th place in school history, added a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws for Southeastern while
Jeffery Ricard and Woods each scored in a 15-0 run that gave the Lions a 51-40 lead.
Southeastern finished 27-for-43 (62.8 percent) from the free throw line as the Lions made 20 of their final 22 attempts after starting 2-for-8 in the second half. The Lions finished 18-for-46 (39.1 percent) from the field while holding A&M-CC to 20-for-58 aim (34.5 percent) for the game and 13-for-29 (44.8 percent) in the second half.
Jordan led the Islanders scoring 20 of his career-high 24 points in the second half while grabbing a career-best 10 rebounds for his third career double-double. Former Port Allen High product Will Nelson also added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for A&M-CC, which finished 11-for-22 from the free throw line and 2-for-14 from behind the 3-point line.
Southeastern will return to action on Thursday when it travels to face Central Arkansas in a 7:30 p.m. contest. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and will be televised on ESPN3.
