CINCINNATI, Ohio – Southeastern Louisiana turned in its best effort of the young season Tuesday in a 64-49 loss at Fifth Third Arena to No. 24-ranked Cincinnati, holding the Bearcats well below their season average of 96.2 points per game.

Coming off a rough first half the last time out at Nebraska, Southeastern (1-4) set the tone early against Cincinnati (5-0).

Joshua Filmore, a junior from Orlando, Florida, gave the Lions a couple of early leads, 3-2 (18:42) and 9-8 (15:59), with a pair of 3-pointers. Gary Clark gave the Bearcats the lead for good, 10-9, just 20 seconds later.

Southeastern pulled within four, 23-19, at the 5:55 mark of the first half. Daniel Grieves, a senior from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, hit back-to-back baskets prior to the media timeout with 6:32 to play, cutting the deficit to single digits, and then Zay Jackson, a senior from Hammond, Louisiana, drilled a 3-pointer to pull the Lions within two possessions.

The Lion defense held Cincinnati to a season-low 30 points and 34.5 percent shooting percentage in the first half.

Cincinnati opened up a 12-point lead, 34-22, at the 17:43 mark on Shaq Thomas' jumper, but clawed back within a possession, 38-35, on Filmore's 3-pointer with 11:01 to play in regulation.

While the Bearcats' shooting improved in the second half, Southeastern played Cincinnati tighter after halftime thanks in part to a more efficient offensive attack.

Jackson scored a game-high 15 points and Filmore added 12 for the Lions. James Currington, a sophomore from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, scored eight points and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.

Southeastern shot 37.3 percent (19-of-51) from the floor, including 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from 3-point range. The Lions were 4-of-5 (80 percent) from the free throw line.

Troy Caupain and Jacob Evans scored 15 points each to pace the Bearcats while Clark add 12 points. Octavius Ellis grabbed a game-high nine rebounds and Clark hauled in eight.

Cincinnati shot 40.7 percent (22-of-54) from the floor, including 34.8 percent (8-of-23) from 3-point range. The Bearcats were 12-of-17 (70.6 percent) from the free throw line and out-rebounded Southeastern, 38-28.

Southeastern's week-long trip to compete in the Barclays Center Classic takes the Lions next to West Point, New York, for a 4 p.m. (CT) contest Friday against Gardner-Webb and then a Saturday matchup with either UAPB or host Army.


SOUTHEASTERN LA. (1-4)
Jackson, Zay 6-13 1-1 15; Filmore, Joshua 4-12 0-0 12; Currington, James 4-7 0-0 8; Grieves, Daniel 2-3 0-1 5; Greenwood, Mo 1-3 1-1 3; Veal, Marlain 0-2 2-2 2; Cook, Dimi 1-7 0-0 2; Charleston, Keith 1-3 0-0 2; Capps, Jordan 0-0 0-0 0; Hawkins, Mike 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-51 4-5 49.

CINCINNATI (5-0)
Evans, Jacob 4-8 4-4 15; Caupain, Troy 5-11 3-5 15; Clark, Gary 4-8 3-5 12; DeBerry, Coreontae 3-4 0-1 6; Ellis, Octavius 2-6 2-2 6; Jenifer, Justin 1-1 0-0 3; Johnson, Kevin 1-7 0-0 3; Cobb, Farad 1-4 0-0 2; Thomas, Shaq 1-3 0-0 2; Moore, Quadri 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 22-54 12-17 64.

Southeastern La............... 22 27 - 49
Cincinnati......................... 30 34 - 64

3-point goals--Southeastern La. 7-18 (Filmore, Joshua 4-11; Jackson, Zay 2-4; Grieves, Daniel 1-2; Hawkins, Mike 0-1), Cincinnati 8-23 (Evans, Jacob 3-6; Caupain, Troy 2-7; Clark, Gary 1-1; Jenifer, Justin 1-1; Johnson, Kevin 1-4; Moore, Quadri 0-1; Thomas, Shaq 0-1; Cobb, Farad 0-2). Fouled out--Southeastern La.-None, Cincinnati-None. Rebounds--Southeastern La. 28 (Currington, James 8), Cincinnati 38 (Ellis, Octavius 9). Assists--Southeastern La. 6 (Jackson, Zay 4), Cincinnati 16 (Caupain, Troy 4). Total fouls--Southeastern La. 18, Cincinnati 14. Technical fouls--Southeastern La.-None, Cincinnati-None. A-6824