ABILENE, Texas – Senior center
DeVonte Upson poured in a career-high 24 points and Southeastern Louisiana snapped a four-game Southland Conference losing streak with a 65-52 win against Abilene Christian at Moody Coliseum.
Upson also hauled in a game-high nine rebounds as Southeastern (6-16, 3-6 Southland) extended ACU's (9-14, 3-7 Southland) streak to seven losses in-a-row.
After a tight first half, the Lions led, 26-24. The largest lead for either team in the first half was three. Southeastern took its three-point lead, 6-3, on an
Onochie Ochie jumper at the 16:06 mark. The Wildcats last led, 24-21, at the 4:01 mark on a Harrison Hawkins jumper, but Southeastern tied the game less than a minute later on
Justin Lobell's first career bucket.
A freshman from French Settlement, Louisiana, Lobell hit a 3-pointer with 3:08 remaining until halftime to draw the Lions even, 24-24.
Upson gave Southeastern the lead for good early in the second half, 28-26, draining a jumper with 18:15 to play. The Lions would extend their lead as high as 16 points, but a Hawkins 3-pointer with 48 seconds left in the game brought the score to its final resting place.
Cedric Jenkins added 14 points for the Lions.
Daniel Grieves chipped in nine points and five rebounds.
Zay Jackson and
Jimmie Duplessis handed out five assists apiece.
Southeastern shot 49 percent from the floor (25-of-51), including 35.3 percent from three-point range (6-of-17). The Lions converted 9-of-14 from the free throw line (64.3 percent) and out-rebounded ACU, 37-31.
Hawkins led the Wildcats with 18 points. Austin Cooke added 13 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.
ACU shot 34.5 percent from the floor (20-of-58), including 34.6 percent from three-point range (9-of-26). The Wildcats converted 3-of-4 from the free throw line (75 percent).
Southeastern returns to the University Center for a 7 p.m. conference matchup Tuesday against Central Arkansas. The game is slated as Faculty Appreciation Day. Promotional and ticket info is available at www. LionSports.net.
SOUTHEASTERN LA. (6-16, 3-6 SLC)Upson, DeVonte 12-14 0-3 24; Jenkins, Cedric 5-12 2-2 14; Grieves, Daniel 2-4 3-4 9; Jackson, Zay 1-8 4-4 6; Maggio, Dylon 2-3 0-0 5; Ochie, Onochie 2-5 0-1 4; Lobell, Justin 1-5 0-0 3; Duplessis, Jimmie 0-0 0-0 0.
Totals 25-51 9-14 65.
ABILENE CHRISTIAN (9-14, 3-7 SLC)Hawkins, Harrison 7-15 0-0 18; Cooke, Austin 5-11 0-0 13; Wentz, Parker 2-11 0-0 6; Tripp, Isaiah 3-4 0-0 6; Green, Drake 2-4 0-0 4; Little, Jalen 0-1 2-2 2; Milosavljevic, Alexs 1-2 0-0 2; Williams, LaDarrien 0-5 1-2 1; Porter, Duran 0-2 0-0 0; Grant, Michael 0-1 0-0 0; Payne, Riley 0-2 0-0 0.
Totals 20-58 3-4 52.
Southeastern La.............. 26 39 - 65
Abilene Christian............. 24 28 - 52
3-point goals--Southeastern La. 6-17 (Grieves, Daniel 2-2; Jenkins, Cedric 2-4; Maggio, Dylon 1-2; Lobell, Justin 1-5; Jackson, Zay 0-4), Abilene Christian 9-26 (Hawkins, Harrison 4-8; Cooke, Austin 3-7; Wentz, Parker 2-8; Little, Jalen 0-1; Williams, LaDarrien 0-2).
Fouled out—Southeastern La.-None, Abilene Christian-None.
Rebounds--Southeastern La. 37 (Upson, DeVonte 9), Abilene Christian 31 (Cooke, Austin 7).
Assists—Southeastern La. 16 (Duplessis, Jimmie 5; Jackson, Zay 5), Abilene Christian 10 (Little, Jalen 3).
Total fouls--Southeastern La. 10, Abilene Christian 14.
Technical fouls--Southeastern La.-None, Abilene Christian-None.
A-1005
