HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team got a big game from
Jeremy Elyzee, who finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double, but issues inside late proved costly in an 80-71 loss to the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders Saturday afternoon at the University Center.
The Lions (6-8, 0-3 SLC) took 24 shots in both halves, and hit 11 in both, to finish the game hitting at 45.8 percent in the contest. SLU was five of 15 from three while both taking, 33, and making, 22, the most free throws in a single game this season.
Elyzee's 21 points was the second-most in a game the freshman has scored this season, only following his 22-point output against Gardner-Webb during the Cancun Challenge. His 10 rebounds matched his season-high as he also had 10 boards at UAB back in November, which was where he got his first career double-double with 14 points against the Blazers. Elyzee hit seven of his 11 shot attempts and was seven-of-nine at the free throw line to account for his scoring while also getting two steals.
Jakevion Buckley was six-of-11 from the field, including one-of-three from three-point range, and his four of his seven free throw attempts to finish with 17 points. He also grabbed four rebounds and had a pair of steals.
Sam Hines, Jr. rounded out the leading scorers with 15 points, going four-of-10 from the field, while hitting his only three-point attempt, and scored on all six of his free throw attempts. He also grabbed three rebounds and dished out three assists.
Carlos Paez scored nine points on two three-pointers and a three-for-three day at the free throw line. Getting his first start at Southeastern,
Jaiden Lawrence had seven points, four rebounds, and an assist.
The Islanders (9-6, 2-1 SLC) finished the game hitting 50 percent from the field, including 57.7 percent in the second half. TAMUCC was 31.6 percent from three-point range, six-of-19, and just 57.1 percent from the free throw line, 16-of-28. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi did its damage down low, outscoring the Lions 42-24 in the paint while outrebounding SLU 40-32. A 15-8 edge in offensive rebounds helped A&M-Corpus Christi outscore Southeastern 17-9 in second chance points.
The game was tight throughout as neither team ever held a lead of at least 10 points, and it took nearly 12 minutes for either team to lead by more than a one-possession score. With the Islanders leading 19-18, Buckley got into the paint and scored on a lay-up which kicked off a 9-1 Southeastern run. Elyzee hit a pair of free throws to cap the run, giving the Lions a 27-20 lead with 7:22 left before halftime.
That seven-point lead would be the largest SLU would enjoy in the contest, hitting that mark twice more in the period. A three-pointer by Paez made it 38-31 SLU with 2:36 left in the half and another pair of free throws by Elyzee gave Southeastern a 40-33 advantage with less than a minute left before the break. The Lions took a 40-35 lead into the locker room.
The Islanders started fast in the second half, going on a 10-2 run to take a 45-42 lead with 16:30 to go. Southeastern answered that with an 8-1 run to go back up four, 50-46, as Buckley got to the rim again for another lay-up with 14 minutes left.
TAMUCC scored on a three-pointer on the next possession, and for the next 7:30, the two teams would be locked in a one-possession battle. Southeastern's final lead came off a pair of free throws by Hines, Jr. which gave SLU a 56-55 advantage with 10:10 to go. After the Islanders got back in front on a lay-up, an Elyzee free throw tied the score back up at 57-57 with 9:13 left. A&M-Corpus Christi's next score, a free throw with just less than 8:30 remaining, gave the Islanders the lead for good in the contest.
A jumper for Buckley with 2:30 left got the Lions back within three points at 69-66, but Texas A&M-Corpus Christi hit a three on its ensuing possession, which was the first of five-straight Islander points to open the lead. Southeastern cut the deficit down to four points with less than a minute left as Elyzee scored on a dunk to make it 75-71, but A&M-Corpus Christi scored the game's final five points to open the score to the largest margin at the final buzzer.
Southeastern wraps up its first pair of Southland Conference home games on Monday as Texas-Rio Grande Valley comes to Hammond, America for the first time in nearly three decades. Tip-off of Monday's game against the Vaqueros (10-4, 2-1 SLC) is set for 6 p.m. in the University Center. We'll be Kickin' in the New Year as Lion fans are asked to wear their best footwear to the game.
Monday's game against UTRGV will be televised on ESPN+ while a radio broadcast will also be available, thanks to the Southeastern Sports Radio Network, on 90.9 FM The Lion in the Hammond/Ponchatoula area and worldwide on LionSports.net/ListenLive or LionUpRadio.org, or you can listen to the game on smart devices through the Lions Gameday Experience app, the TuneIn Radio app, or the MyTuner Radio app. Live stats will also be available through LionSports.net.
HARDWOOD CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the basketball program are encouraged to join the Hardwood Club. Lion alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letterwinners. All membership fees and donations to Hardwood Club are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern basketball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at
laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting
www.LionUp.com.
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Basketball, follow @LionUpMBB and @DavidKieferSLU on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
TICKETS
For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit
www.LionSports.net/tickets. Southeastern is implementing mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
