HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana sophomore guard Charliee Dugas poured in a career-high 38 points to help the Lady Lions erase a 24-point deficit, but New Orleans senior guard Randi Brown made three free throws in the final minute to give the Privateers a 74-71 win in Southland Conference women's basketball action Wednesday night at the University Center.
 
With the loss and McNeese's 70-64 victory over A&M-Corpus Christi, Southeastern (8-20, 7-10 Southland) had its run at a berth into the Southland Conference Tournament end on Wednesday. New Orleans closed out the regular season with a 15-14 overall record and an 11-7 mark in league action. The Privateers will be in the eight-team field for the Southland Conference Tournament, scheduled for March 8-11 at the Merrell Center in Katy, Texas.
 
Dugas' scoring output was 10 higher than her previous career high and was the most scored by a Lady Lion in 2017-18. Senior guard Taylin Underwood added 23 points for SLU. Sophomore guard Tyler Morrison led the Lady Lions with nine rebounds, seven assists and six steals.
 
Brown, the Southland Conference's leading scorer, led UNO with 36 points, tying the University Center record for most points scored by a Lady Lion opponent. She was joined in double figures by freshman guard Dionjhae Thomas, who finished with 10 points and a team-high four steals.
 
After an uneven first quarter that saw UNO take a 16-10 lead, the Privateers dominated the second quarter. New Orleans made 71.4 percent (10-for-14) from the floor in the second period to take a commanding 42-23 halftime lead.
 
UNO would stretch the lead to 24 early in the third quarter and still led by 18 after a layup by senior guard Kayla Mundy gave the Privateers a 54-36 lead with 5:24 left in the period.
 
From that point forward, Dugas took over the rest of the quarter. The Rayne, Louisiana native scored 14 of the Lady Lions' points in an 18-3 run to close the period, as Southeastern went into the final quarter down just 57-54.
 
A three by Underwood gave SLU its first lead of the game with 7:35 left in the contest. However, UNO scored the next seven points to take a 67-61 lead with 4:44 remaining.
 
Southeastern would not go away, quietly, steadily chipping away at the Privateers' lead. Underwood tied the game with her fifth trey of the contest, then Dugas came up with a steal and a score to give SLU a 71-69 lead with just under two minutes left.
 
On the ensuing possession, Dugas fouled Mundy, who knotted the game with a pair of free throws. An empty SLU possession was followed by Brown sinking two free throws with 56 seconds left.
 
On the next trip, Underwood missed a reverse layup and UNO corralled the rebound. Brown missed her jumper, but UNO grabbed the board with 19 seconds left. Southeastern had no choice but to foul Brown and she made one of two free throws to give the Privateers a three-point lead.
 
Underwood looked to tie on the final possession, but her long three fell short. Morrison grabbed the offensive rebound to give the Lady Lions one more chance, but Dugas' try at the buzzer was heavily contested and off the mark.
 
Southeastern will close out the regular season on Saturday, hosting Nicholls at 2 p.m. in the University Center. The game can be heard live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app, while LionVision subscribers can access a live video stream of Saturday's game at www.LionSports.net/watch.
 
Saturday will also be Senior Day, as Underwood and senior guard Bre' Warren will be honored prior to Saturday's game. Underwood will be Saturday's Spotlight Player of the Game and the first 150 fans will receive a trading card featuring the Livingston, Louisiana native courtesy of PRIDE.