SPOKANE, Wash. – The Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball team led No. 8-ranked Gonzaga at the half, Tuesday, but was out-manned in the second half as the Bulldogs pulled away for a 76-57 win at McCarthey Athletic Center.

Southeastern (2-6) headed to to the locker room halftime with a 33-32 lead. The Bulldogs (7-0) led twice in the half, but never by more than one point.

After DeVonte Upson made the first basket of the game, Kyle Wiltjer hit a three pointer at the 17:16 mark. Joshua Filmore answered with a three of his own on the Lions' next possesion to put Southeastern back on top, 5-3.

Freshman guard Dylon Maggio, a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, hit a three to give the Lions their largest lead of the game, 19-11, at the 11:04 mark of the first half. Gonzaga would come back to grab a short-lived lead, 28-27, on a Wiltjer layup with 3:47 remaining in the half.

Upson put the Lions back up, 29-28, with a highlight-reel dunk off an alley oop pass from Filmore with 2:43 to go until halftime. Southeastern expanded its lead back to five before Gonzaga wittled it away to one point at the buzzer.

The Lions shot almost 52 percent prior to halftime (14-27, 51.9 percent) and hit 4-of-10 from three-point range. At the same time, Gonzaga shot just over 48 percent from the floor (13-27, 48.1 percent) and was also 4-of-10 from beyond the arc.

The Bulldogs put together a 30-4 run opening up the second half, taking the lead for good, and out-scored Southeastern, 21-0, over a 10 minute period early in the half.

"That was the difference in the ball game," head coach Jay Ladner said. "We figured coach was in there getting after them. What they did at the start of the second half was take advantage of their size. It really hurt us at the rim."

Filmore, one of four in double-digit scoring for the Lions, led Southeastern with 14 points. Hammond, Louisiana native Zay Jackson and Upson each added 12, while Andrew Guillory poured in 10 points. Upson finished with a team-high eight rebounds.

Wiltjer led all players with 20 points. Domantas Sabonis chipped in 14 and Kevin Pangos added 12 points for the Bulldogs. Przemek Karnowski grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

Gonzaga shot over 52 percent from the floor (30-of-57) overall, including converting 9-of 24 three-point attempts (37.5 percent). The Bulldogs made all seven of their free throw attempts and out-rebound Southeastern, 30-21. The Lions shot 48.9 percent overall (22-of-45), including 33.3 percent (5-of-15) from three-point range. Southeastern converted 8-of-10 (80 percent) of its free throws.

The Bulldogs have won 30 consecutive home games, the second-longest streak in the nation.

Southeastern returns to action, Saturday at p.m., at Southeast Missouri. It will be the fourth consecutive season the Lions and Redhawks have faced each other.


GONZAGA 76, SOUTHEASTERN LA. 57

SOUTHEASTERN LA. (2-6)
Filmore, Joshua 6-11 0-0 14; Upson, DeVonte 5-7 2-2 12; Jackson, Zay 5-14 0-0 12; Guillory, Andrew 3-7 4-5 10; Grieves, Daniel 2-4 2-3 6; Maggio, Dylon 1-2 0-0 3; Barclay, Bret 0-0 0-0 0; Rumph, Zach 0-0 0-0 0; Ochie, Onochie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-45 8-10 57.

GONZAGA (7-0)
WILTJER, Kyle 8-10 2-2 20; SABONIS, Domantas 6-6 2-2 14; PANGOS, Kevin 4-9 2-2 12; BELL JR., Gary 3-9 0-0 9; KARNOWSKI, Przemek 4-8 0-0 8; WESLEY, Byron 2-7 1-1 5; DRANGINIS, Kyle 2-2 0-0 5; MELSON, Silas 1-5 0-0 3; GRIFFIN, Connor 0-0 0-0 0; NUNEZ, Angel 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-57 7-7 76.

Southeastern La....... 33 24 - 57
Gonzaga................... 32 44 - 76

3-point goals--Southeastern La. 5-15 (Filmore, Joshua 2-6; Jackson, Zay 2-5; Maggio, Dylon 1-2; Grieves, Daniel 0-2), Gonzaga 9-24 (BELL JR., Gary 3-7; PANGOS, Kevin 2-5; WILTJER, Kyle 2-4; MELSON, Silas 1-5; DRANGINIS, Kyle 1-1; NUNEZ, Angel 0-1; WESLEY, Byron 0-1). Fouled out--Southeastern La.-None, Gonzaga-None. Rebounds—Southeastern La. 21 (Upson, DeVonte 8), Gonzaga 30 (KARNOWSKI, Przemek 9). Assists--Southeastern La. 10 (Guillory, Andrew 3), Gonzaga 18 (WILTJER, Kyle 3; DRANGINIS, Kyle 3; NUNEZ, Angel 3; PANGOS, Kevin 3). Total fouls--Southeastern La. 13, Gonzaga 14. Technical fouls--Southeastern La.-None, Gonzaga-None. A-6000