Wildcats Return to ASC Play

12/14/2017 10:10:00 AM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

After dropping the first two games of their American Southwest Conference schedule two weeks ago, the Louisiana College men's basketball team picked up their first win of the season earlier this week at Birmingham-Southern College. The 96-86 come from behind win was the best performance by the team thus far this year and they will try and carry that momentum into the final ASC weekend of 2017. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 7:30 on Thursday evening in a rematch with Sul Ross State University. They then take on Howard Payne University on Saturday afternoon at 4pm. Both games will be played at Rapides Parish Coliseum.

Sul Ross | 4-4 (2-1) LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS

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The Lobos come into the weekend on a two game ASC winning streak that include home wins over LeTourneau and ETBU in their last two outings. Before that the team endured a four game losing streak including a 63-60 loss to UT Dallas at the beginning of the month. Thursday's game will be a rematch of the team's season opening neutral site game in the middle of November. Sul Ross pulled away in the second half of that game for a 77-60 win over the Wildcats. Since then SRSU has averaged 77.0 points per game with a .438 field goal shooting percentage. The Lobos have two players averaging more than 10 points per game, led by Caleb Thomasson putting in 18.1 per game, the seventh best average in the conference at this point in the year. Thomasson also ranks in the top five in the conference with 9.0 rebounds per game this year.

Howard Payne | 2-5 (0-2) LIVE VIDEO | LIVE STATS

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Before taking on the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon, Howard Payne will take on Belhaven University in Jackson, Miss. The Yellow Jackets are are 2-5 on the year having lost two of their last three games, the lone win coming over Southwestern University at the beginning of December. In their last outing, HPU were outpaced by LeTourneau 98-63, behind a triple-double from LETU's Nate West. This season Howard Payne is averaging 80.6 points per game, despite their 2-5 record, they have however allowed 98.1 point per game to their opponents, the second highest average in the conference. Senior Khyce Randall has been exceptional for the Yellow Jackets so far this year, leading the ASC with 26.1 points per game. He is shooting a staggering .495 from the field and .524 from behind the 3-point line, and .836 from the free throw line. The 6'2" guard is also the team's top rebounder, with an 8.9 per game average.

Louisiana College | 1-4 (0-2)

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The Wildcats picked up their first win of the season this week over Birmingham-Southern 96-86, a game where they overcame an 11-point deficit in the process. In his first action of the season, sophomore guard Taylan Grogan proved he had not lost a step from the end of last season leading the team with 23 points in the win. Three other Wildcats finished the game in double digits including the first double-double of the season for Devon Washington. The Wildcats are averaging 72.8 points per game on the year with a .475 field goal percentage, fourth highest in the ASC. LC has also done well from free throw line, shooting .754 from the line, third best in the conference, getting a big boost from Monday's 22-of-23 performance. Washington and freshman Lashard Powell lead the team with 15.6 and 11.2 point per game averages on the year, with Washington topping the team with an 8.0 rebound per game average. The addition of Grogan and fellow sophomore guard Nick Burks, the Wildcats offense has become more dynamic than the the first few games of the year.

The final home series of the 2017 portion of the schedule in Rapides Parish Coliseum is scheduled to tip-off at 7:30 pm Thursday night as the Wildcats take on Sul Ross.Tickets are $10 for those two years and older and LC students, faculty, and staff will be admitted for free with their campus ID. Louisiana College athletics will be providing a shuttle bus for students that will leave from the parking lot between MPAC and H.O. West, 30 minutes prior to tip-off of the women's game all season. Seating is limited and students are encouraged to sign-up in the student development office to secure their spot on the shuttle. The Wildcats also welcome all Rapides Parish School children and their families with a free admission offer with the purchase of a general admission ticket. Flyers will be distributed throughout RPSB schools this week. Stay connected to Louisiana College men's basketball all season by following @LC_MBSK on Twitter. For general athletics news, follow @LC_Wildcats on Twitter or like Louisiana College Wildcats on Facebook.

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