Box Score LAKE CHARLES, La. – Beset by injuries, the Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball team ran out of gas Thursday and fell, 69-60, at Burton Colisum to McNeese State in the Southland Conference opener.
Five players logged 32 minutes or more for Southeastern (5-7, 0-1 Southland), who only consistently used one player off a shortened bench.
"We probably haven't logged that many minutes in the non-conference schedule at all," head coach Jim Yarbrough said. "The game comes down to three things. The first half we lost a lead because of turnovers. Second, it was a very even game on the boards until the last eight minutes. They made a big push and out-rebounded us by 10. Lastly, our front line did not deliver very well for us tonight. We couldn't get the ball inside."
Despite shooting better in the second half (45.8 percent vs. 35.7 percent in the first half), Southeastern was unable to hold off the charging Cowboys. McNeese (3-10, 1-0 Southland) came from 11 down to take the lead late in the half, forcing the Lions to tie the score on a free throw.
Down the stretch, McNeese held off the Lions by pushing their lead as high as 11 with 58 seconds remaining.
Dre Evans, who finished one point shy of tying a career high, scored 19 points to lead all players.
Julian Chiera (14 points) and
Joshua Filmore (11 points) also scored in double digits for the Lions.
Devonte Upson led Southeastern with eight rebounds.
Kevin Hardy led McNeese with 17 points. He also hauled in nine rebounds, dished out seven assists, blocked three shots and picked up three steals. Ledrick Eackles (15) and Desharick Guidry (12) also turned in double-digit offensive performances. Craig McFerrin led the Cowboys with 11 rebounds.
The Lions will turn around and play at Nicholls State Saturday, the team's third game in six days.
Saturday's game at Nicholls' Stopher Gym is set for a 3:30 p.m. tipoff. All of the Lions' conference contests are scheduled to follow the women's game as part of a doubleheader.
Both games of the doubleheader can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and either the KSLU or TuneIn Radio smartphone app. Nicholls will provide a live video stream for LionVision, Southeastern's subscription-based video stream, as well as live statistics. Links for audio, stats and video are available on the basketball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
Nicholls (4-6) defeated the University of New Orleans in its Southland opener Thursday, 88-83, at Stopher Gym in Thibodaux, La.
"Nicholls State likes to move the ball around," Yarbrough said. "They're complex in their simplicity. We'll have to put together a defensive package that will negate some of their strengths."
Southeastern, which swept the two-game series with Nicholls last season, leads the all-time series against the Colonels, 50-40.
SOUTHEASTERN LA. (5-7, 0-1 SLC)
Evans, Dre 7-15 1-2 19; Chiera, Julian 4-4 4-4 14; Filmore, Joshua 5-12 0-0 11; Ochie, Onochie 3-6 0-0 7; Upson, Devonte 1-5 3-5 5; Hawkins, JaMichael 1-10 0-0 3; Johnson, Forrest 0-0 1-2 1; Cooper, Quin 0-0 0-0 0; Evans, Antonio 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-52 9-13 60.
MCNEESE STATE (3-10, 1-0 SLC)
Hardy, Kevin 6-7 5-5 17; Eackles, Ledrick 4-13 6-6 15; Guidry, Desharick 5-14 0-0 12; McFerrin, Craig 3-6 3-4 9; Fields, Adrian 3-9 0-0 7; Regis, Brandon 1-1 3-4 6; Garrett, Keelan 1-3 0-0 3; Burr, Jamaya 0-0 0-0 0; Johnson, Shaun 0-2 0-0 0; Lewis, Austin 0-1 0-0 0; Moss, Matthew 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-57 17-19 69.
Southeastern La.............. 29 31 - 60
McNeese State................. 29 40 - 69
3-point goals--Southeastern La. 9-24 (Evans, Dre 4-8; Chiera, Julian 2-2; Ochie, Onochie 1-1; Hawkins, JaMichael 1-6; Filmore, Joshua 1-6; Upson, Devonte 0-1), McNeese State 6-20 (Guidry, Desharick 2-6; Eackles, Ledrick 1-6; Garrett, Keelan 1-2; Regis, Brandon 1-1; Fields, Adrian 1-3; Johnson, Shaun 0-2).
Fouled out--Southeastern La.-Chiera, Julian, McNeese State-None.
Rebounds--Southeastern La. 30 (Upson, Devonte 8), McNeese State 40 (McFerrin, Craig 11).
Assists--Southeastern La. 9 (Evans, Dre 4), McNeese State 15 (Hardy, Kevin 7).
Total fouls--Southeastern La. 19, McNeese State 14.
Technical fouls--Southeastern La.-None, McNeese State-None.
A-1063
