Box Score
A season of promise that was ultimately dimmed by injuries came to an end for the Louisiana College Wildcats Saturday in a 93-83 loss to No. 2 seed Hardin-Simmons at the American Southwest Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in Dallas, Texas.
 
The Wildcats, who had made history Friday with their first-ever ASC Tournament win, were once again without the full services of sophomore point guard Kevin Cottonham. Cottonham, who did not play at all in the opening round win over Mary Hardin-Baylor, could only manage 10 first half minutes in the loss Saturday and scored just two points.
 
Cottonham's injury came to a team that had played most of the final stretch of the season without leading scorer and rebounder Anthony Gaines. The injury to Gaines played a significant role in the Wildcats losing eight of their last 10 regular season games and resulted in their dropping to the No. 6 seed for the ASC. With the loss Saturday, the Wildcats finished the year with a 12-14 record but will return all but one player, senior Doc Welch, next season.
 
Welch did everything he could to keep his career from ending Saturday. Welch scored LC's first 11 points – hitting three 3-point shots and another jump shot as the Wildcats led 11-7 with 16:41 to play in the first half.
 
Almost like a tag-team, Welch handed off to sophomore Kevin Lewis who scored eight of LC's next 12 points as the Wildcats built a 23-13 lead at the 12:24 mark. The Wildcats held a 25-15 lead before the Cowboys went on their first big run of the game. HSU outscored the Wildcats 21-7 over the game's next ten minutes – keyed by Cameron Barnes who scored the bulk of his 13 first half points in that stretch.
 
Barnes' points came off the HSU bench, and a 21-6 bench points advantage in the opening frame was a big key in the Cowboys 45-38 lead at halftime.
 
In the second half, Hardin-Simmons continued to build their lead. A 3-point shot by Jim Walter put the Cowboys up 53-38 with 17:03 to play. That's when the Wildcats put together their best surge. Behind six points each from Gaines and Lewis, the Wildcats outscored HSU 17-5 over the next six minutes to pull to within three, 58-55, with 11:53 left in the game.
 
Over the next six minutes, the two teams locked up in a great battle. When Welch hit his third 3-point shot of the game, the senior, who finished with 16 points in his final game, had LC within three again, 77-74, with 5:11 remaining. But, the Wildcats could get no closer.
 
In the final five minutes, Hardin-Simmons outscored the Wildcats 16-7 to make the final 93-83. The Cowboys advanced to Sunday's ASC championship to face Texas-Tyler or Texas-Dallas.
 
For the Wildcats, the results of the 2013-14 season certainly leave room for optimism for the next two years. The Wildcats will return the core of their team – with Gaines who finished 16 points and 12 rebounds and Lewis who finished with 25 points and 9 assists both returning as juniors. Additionally, that junior class will include Cottonham who could be the top returning point guard in the ASC.
 
The Wildcats also had a freshman class that made a large contribution this season. Center Raheem Regis, who finished with 13 points and four rebounds Saturday, will be joined by Steve Evans, Dillon Mandeville and Dylan Brewer among others.