Box Score

HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball team knocked off in-state foe McNeese State, 62-53, Thursday at the University Center in come-from-behind fashion for a Southland Conference victory.

Southeastern (10-13, 5-7 Southland) pulled into a tie with McNeese (7-17, 5-7 Southland) in the conference standings.

Down 46-41 with 8:53 to play in the game, the Lions went to work on erasing the deficit. Jeffery Ricard hit a three-pointer with 7:58 to play and a jumper by Onochie Ochie tied the game up 41 seconds later.

Devonte Upson gave Southeastern the lead for good with with 6:16 remaining. The jumper was good off an assist by Dre Evans.

The Lions converted 21-of-47 shots from the floor (44.7 percent) and shot better than 56 percent in the second half (13-of-23). A strong defensive effort by Southeastern held the Cowboys to 35.7 percent (20-of-56 from the floor) shooting in the game.

Julian Chiera led the Lions with 13 points, one off his career high. Upson scored 12 and grabbed eight rebounds while Onochie Ochie grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds to record the first double-double of his career (10 points).

Ledrick Eackles led all players with 15 points. Craig McFerrin and Keelan Garrett added 13 points each for the Cowboys. Desharick Guidry and Kevin Hardy each hauled in a team-best nine rebounds for McNeese.

Southeastern hosts Nicholls State in a conference contest Saturday at 5 p.m. Saturday's game is Alumni Day. Any former Southeastern men's basketball players planning to attend the game are asked to contact Larry Hymel of the Southeastern Alumni Association at Lhymel@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-3228.

Tickets for all home games can be purchased at www.LionSports.net or by calling the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office, located in the Dugas Center for Southeastern Athletics, at (985) 549-LION.

MCNEESE STATE (7-17, 5-7 SLC)
Eackles, Ledrick 4-11 4-6 15; Garrett, Keelan 5-13 0-0 13; McFerrin, Craig 5-9 3-3 13; Guidry, Desharick 3-7 0-2 6; Hardy, Kevin 3-8 0-0 6; Regis, Brandon 0-3 0-0 0; Lewis, Austin 0-2 0-0 0; Moss, Matthew 0-1 0-0 0; Johnson, Shaun 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-56 7-11 53.

SOUTHEASTERN LA. (10-13, 5-7 SLC)
Chiera, Julian 4-8 2-2 13; Upson, Devonte 5-5 2-7 12; Ochie, Onochie 4-7 2-4 10; Ricard, Jeffery 2-3 3-4 9; Evans, Dre 2-7 4-4 9; Benton, Antonnio 2-6 0-0 5; Filmore, Joshua 1-7 0-3 2; Hawkins, JaMichael 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 21-47 13-24 62.

McNeese State.................   25   28  -   53
Southeastern La..............   25   37  -   62

3-point goals--McNeese State 6-25 (Eackles, Ledrick 3-8; Garrett, Keelan 3-11; Hardy, Kevin 0-1; Regis, Brandon 0-2; Moss, Matthew 0-1; Johnson, Shaun 0-2), Southeastern La. 7-20 (Chiera, Julian 3-6; Ricard, Jeffery 2-2; Benton, Antonnio 1-3; Evans, Dre 1-3; Hawkins, JaMichael 0-2; Filmore, Joshua 0-4). Fouled out--McNeese State-None, Southeastern La.-None. Rebounds--McNeese State 35 (Guidry, Desharick 9; Hardy, Kevin 9), Southeastern La. 37 (Ochie, Onochie 11). Assists--McNeese State 9 (Hardy, Kevin 3), Southeastern La. 13 (Evans, Dre 6). Total fouls--McNeese State 19, Southeastern La. 9. Technical fouls--McNeese State-Eackles, Ledrick, Southeastern La.-None. A-785