HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team dropped a 96-75 decision against UTRGV Saturday afternoon in the University Center.

Southeastern (8-20, 5-14 SLC) suffered its third straight Southland Conference loss as UTRGV (16-12, 12-7 SLC) held the majority of the momentum the entirety of the contest. The Vaqueros gained a 20-point advantage to close out the first half as SLU battled to find its rhythm at home, shooting 45.3 from the field, 23.5 percent from the three-point line and 65.7 percent from the free throw line.

Three Lions closed out the game in double-figures led by fifth-year senior Isaiah Gaines with a season-high 24 points along with seven rebounds and two assists. Gaines stepped up for the green and gold, dropping 20 points in the second half alone while finishing 8-14 from the field, 1-2 from behind the arc and 7-10 from the line. Peter Hemschemeier followed up with 11 points, shooting 3-8 from the three-point line and 2-2 from the charity stripe.

Jeremy Elyzee added 10 points and three rebounds against UTRGV, securing his third straight game in double-digits. The sophomore finished 4-6 from the field and 2-4 from the free throw line while CJ Booker (eight points) and Ethan Pickett (seven points) also battled to try and stay within reach versus the visitors. Southeastern recorded 34 points in the paint, 25 bench points and nine second-chance points to end the game.

The Vaqueros came out to a hot start in the opening minutes of the first half, draining back-to-back three-pointers to make a statement early in the contest, 6-0. Though UTRGV punched first, Southeastern worked to settle in with its own run to bring the game within seven midway through the half, 20-13. Multiple Lions battle to chip in baskets around the rim, gaining a 18-10 edge in paint points in the first half.

SLU fought to stay within reach throughout the opening period, but UTRGV capitalized on the hosts' turnovers to control the tempo of the game. Filip Brankovic (18 points) and Koree Cotton (18 points) proved to be problems for the Lions the entire matchup as the duo posted double figures, combining for 27 points in the first half. The dynamic duo fueled the Vaqueros' run from all cylinders as they extended their lead, 30-13, holding Southeastern scoreless for four straight minutes.

Cotton and Brankovic continued to deflate the Lions' defense as they went on a 10-point scoring run late in the first half to claim a 46-26 edge to close out the opening period. UTRGV ended the half with a dominant performance from all three levels, shooting 53.8 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from the three-point line and 100.0 percent from the charity stripe. SLU struggled to match the intensity of the visitors as it finished 39.3 percent from the field, 9.1 percent from behind the arc and 75.0 percent from the free throw line in the first half as four players tied to lead with four points.

Gaines returned from the halftime break with revamped energy as the Pensacola, Fla. native claimed nine points in the opening minutes of the second half to cut the deficit within 17-points, 52-35. UTRGV quickly responded as Jaylon Washington (10 points) scored back-to-back buckets due to his quickness around the rim. SLU battled to keep the game within reach, but could not stack defensive stops to limit the Vaqueros from extending their lead as Marvin McGhee III (17 points) came alive from the three-point line, 65-45. 

The Lions struggled to combat the visitors' scoring run midway through the second half as the tide of momentum remained in favor of the Vaqueros. Washington alongside Dane Christensen (12 points) continued to help extend UTRGV's lead around the rim while McGhee III connected on three shots from behind the arc to pull away, 86-63. Elyzee and Peter Hemschemeier chipped in points down the stretch in an effort to shorten the margin between the visitors, 96-70, but UTRGV remained aggressive. 

Southeastern could not overcome the Vaqueros' momentum throughout the game as the visitors refused to allow the hosts back into the game in the second half. The Lions closed out the second half with improved perimeter shooting, but it proved to be no match for UTRGV. SLU finished 52.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from the three-point line and 64.5 percent from the charity stripe, but its fight came too late in the final half as it could not capitalize at the free throw line down the stretch.

UTRGV secured the dominant victory, extending its two-game winning streak in league action while shooting 62.0 percent from the field, 57.1 percent from the three-point line and 94.7 percent from the free throw line.

SLU will remain at home for its final game in the University Center for the 2026 season as it hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Monday at 6 p.m. to close out the week. Monday's matchup against the Islanders will be streamed on ESPN+. Fans are urged to cheer on Southeastern against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as the first 150 students will receive a free T-shirt in support of Lion basketball.

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.