HAMMOND, La. – Joshua Filmore drilled a 3-pointer with nine seconds to play as Southeastern Louisiana rallied to knock off in-state rival McNeese State in a Southland Conference game Monday at the University Center.
Southeastern (4-17, 2-6 Southland) opened up a tight-game with a 9-2 run, aided in part by a McNeese (5-14, 3-6 Southland) scoreless streak that spanned more than five minutes, going up 22-16 at the 6:30 mark on
Moses Greenwood's layup.
Marlain Veal and Greenwood each picked up a pair of baskets for the Lions during the stretch.
The Cowboys responded with a 15-4 run of their own to regain the lead, 30-26, with 1:23 to play before half as Stephen Ugochukwu contributed his first seven points of the game.
Veal and
Jordan Capps, who were both coming off career-best point totals the game before at Northwestern State, had 11 each by halftime as the Lions trailed, 30-28.
McNeese scored the first pair of baskets in the second half, going up 34-28, before
Joshua Filmore drilled a 3-pointer for his first points of the game at the 18:04 mark.
The Cowboys responded with a 5-0 run for a then game-high 8-point lead, 39-31, on Jarren Greenwood's 3-pointer at the 16:58 mark. McNeese would extend its lead to double digits, 46-35, at the 14:36 mark as it outscored the Lions 16-7 in the first six minutes after halftime.
Filmore reached double figures, scoring 10 points in a span of 5:57, as Southeastern started to erase the deficit.
JaMichael Hawkins, also scoreless in the first half, started to heat up as well. The senior from Raymond, Mississippi, scored 12 points in a 2:28 stretch to put the Lions back on top, 52-51, on a 3-pointer at the 10:38 mark that capped a 12-0 run.
The Cowboys jumped back out in front on free throws, 58-54, but Filmore capped a 6-0 run with a 3-pointer for the lead again at the 8:10 mark. Greenwood reached 20 points in the game with a 3-pointer, putting McNeese right back on top 31 seconds later.
The lead continued to flip flop, but Southeastern kept the game close shooting over 81 percent (13-for-16) in the first 14:00 of the second half.
The Lions tied the game, 76-76, at the 1:14 mark as a Capps free throw capped another 6-0 run to tie his career-high with 19 points.
Greenwood put McNeese back up with a 3-pointer from the corner, 79-76, with 52 seconds to play.
Veal pulled the Lions within one, 79-78, with a layup at the 0:26 mark, but a free throw by Greenwood gave the Cowboys a 2-point lead to set up the game's pivotal play.
Capps, with 20 points and 14 rebounds, turned in his second double-double of the season. Both totals are career highs. Veal, for the second-straight game, set a career high as he chipped in 19 points. Filmore (18) and Hawkins (15) also reached double figures for the Lions.
Southeastern shot 51.8 percent (29-of-56) from the floor, including 45.5 percent (10-of-22) from 3-point range. The Lions converted 14-of-24 (58.3 percent) from the free throw line and out-rebounded McNeese, 43-25.
Greenwood scored 28 points to lead the Cowboys. Craig McFerrin and James Harvey, from nearby Amite, Louisiana, added 15 points each.
McNeese shot 49.1 percent (28-of-57) from the floor, including 55 percent (11-of-20) from 3-point range. The Cowboys converted 13-of-25 (52 percent) from the free throw line.
Southeastern returns to the University Center Saturday at 4 p.m., hosting Abilene Christian as part of a doubleheader with the Lady Lions for Military Appreciation Day.
Advanced tickets for home basketball games can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or through the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office, located in Room 107 of the Dugas Center for Southeastern Athletics.
Courtside Top Cat seats are $25 while general admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children (age 3-12). Southeastern students will be admitted free to home games with a valid university ID card. For more information, contact the ticket office at (985) 549-5466 or 1-866-LION-TIX. Ticket office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Fridays.
