Box Score HAMMOND, La. – An injury-depleted Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball team fought off a scrappy Spring Hill squad for a 75-65 win Monday at the University Center.
Playing without leading scorer
Antonnio Benton and a number of other players, the Lions clawed back from a 40-36 halftime deficit for the 10-point victory as they prepare to enter Southland Conference play.
"We had no substitutes for our bigs," head coach Jim Yarbrough said. "We played a very small lineup a good bit. They took advantage of that a lot in the first half.
"[Spring Hill] got very hot, shot 7-of-9 from three. We had a lot of adversity. It takes a lot out of you when you lose two starters and
Jeremy Campbell is out for the year. All of sudden you don't have many weapons."
Stepping up big for Southeastern (5-6) was
JaMichael Hawkins. The junior guard pumped in a career-best 29 points, leading four Lions in double-digit scoring.
Devonte Upson chipped in 14 while
Onochie Ochie scored 13 and
Julian Chiera added 11 points. Ochie led all players with nine rebounds.
Alex Looney led Spring Hill (1-10) with 12 points, and eight rebounds, while Jarrett Calhoun contributed 11 points.
The Badgers built their first-half lead on the strength of 53.6 percent shooting (15-of-28 from the floor) and 7-of-9 from three-point range. Southeastern's defense turned stingy after halftime, holding Spring Hill to just over 25 percent from the floor (7-of-27).
Southeastern enters conference play 7:30 p.m. Thursday at McNeese State. Slated to be played at Burton Coliseum, the game will follow the women's contest as part of a doubleheader.
SPRING HILL (1-10)
Looney, Alex 4-15 4-5 12; Calhoun, Jarrett 4-9 2-5 11; Drummond, Robert 2-7 5-9 9; Gatson, Frederick 3-7 0-0 8; McCants, Ty 1-1 2-3 5; Stefanovic, Dejan 2-3 0-0 5; Pietri, Wesley 2-5 0-0 5; Fos, Jackson 2-2 0-0 5; Gipson, Robert 1-4 0-0 3; Hutcheson, Sam 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 22-55 13-22 65.
SOUTHEASTERN LA. (5-6)
Hawkins, JaMichael 7-11 13-16 29; Upson, Devonte 6-9 2-6 14; Ochie, Onochie 3-11 6-6 13; Chiera, Julian 3-3 4-4 11; Evans, Dre 1-6 2-2 4; Filmore, Joshua 1-6 0-2 3; Cooper, Quin 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 21-47 28-38 75.
Spring Hill................... 40 25 - 65
Southeastern La...... 36 39 - 75
3-point goals--Spring Hill 8-17 (Gatson, Frederick 2-3; Fos, Jackson 1-1; Pietri, Wesley 1-2; Stefanovic, Dejan 1-1; McCants, Ty 1-1; Calhoun, Jarrett 1-4; Gipson, Robert 1-1; Hutcheson, Sam 0-1; Looney, Alex 0-3), Southeastern La. 5-17 (Hawkins, JaMichael 2-6; Chiera, Julian 1-1; Filmore, Joshua 1-3; Ochie, Onochie 1-3; Cooper, Quin 0-1; Evans, Dre 0-3).
Fouled out—Spring Hill-None, Southeastern La.-None.
Rebounds--Spring Hill 38 (Looney, Alex 8), Southeastern La. 29 (Ochie, Onochie 9).
Assists--Spring Hill 14 (McCants, Ty 3), Southeastern La. 11 (Evans, Dre 4).
Total fouls--Spring Hill 21, Southeastern La. 13.
Technical fouls--Spring Hill-None, Southeastern La.-None.
A-432
