PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University men's basketball team started fast and stayed ahead, hitting a pair of clutch jumpers to close out a wire-to-wire 65-59 win over the Huston-Tillotson Rams Saturday afternoon at H.O. West Fieldhouse.
 
LCU got things started quickly after winning the tip-off as Malik Cooper found Jordan Adebutu lurking above the arc for a three to get the scoring started not 15 seconds into the game. Ferontay Banks scored the next four points all on his own, hitting a free throw and then a three-pointer to put the Wildcats up 7-0 just two minutes into the contest. HTU would not just go away however, slowly whittling away at the LCU lead until the Rams had cut the deficit down to one.
 
Now leading 16-15 with just less than nine minutes left in the first half, a pull-up jump shot by Kae'ron Baker went in, the first two of nine straight Wildcat points that was part of a larger 13-2 LCU run, which ended with a lay-up by Banks to give the Wildcats their largest lead of the contest at 29-17 with 5:30 remaining before the break. HTU responded with seven straight points, only to see the Wildcats have an answer of their own, a six-point push by LCU to get the lead back out to 11 points at 35-24 off a pair of Kae'ron Baker free throws with 1:20 left before halftime. LCU led 35-26 at the break.
 
After scoring the final two points of the first half, back-to-back threes by the Rams marked an 8-0 HTU run that made it a one-possession game at 35-32 before Kae'ron Baker answered with a three of his own to end the run.
 
LCU was able to push the lead back out to double figures three times during the second half, the final time coming with just more than 9:30 remaining in the contest as Jordan Adebutu found Kae'ron Baker open for a three that he drained to make the score 54-44 Wildcats.
 
Huston-Tillotson would not go silently, scoring the next six and the two teams battled back-and-forth as the game clock wound down to its conclusion. With just less than 1:30 left, a Rams lay-up cut LCU's lead down to just a single point, 60-59.
 
With the game on the line, the Wildcats went to its graduate leader to lead the team to the win. Out of the timeout, the ball got into the hands of Kae'ron Baker, who pulled up for a mid-range jumper that went right through the net to push the lead back out to three. Baker then showed his defensive prowess on HTU's ensuing possession, picking the Ram ball-handler's pocket and getting the vital steal. Following another Wildcat timeout, Baker drew in the defense's attention before kicking out above the arc to Ferontay Banks, who drilled the three-pointer with 20 seconds left to seal the Wildcat victory.
 
"We grew as a group tonight," said LCU head men's basketball coach Reni Mason. "I saw guys trusting each other late in the game. That type of growth will carry you a long way. I'm happy for our guys."
 
Kae'ron Baker continues to fill up the stat sheet with regularity for the Wildcats, scoring a game-high 25 points in the win to go along with five rebounds, five steals and three assists. Ferontay Banks had one of his more dynamic games since joining the Wildcats, going seven-of-ten from the field, including two-of-three from deep, to finish with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. Jordan Adebutu rounded out the leading scorers with 11 points to go with four rebounds.
 
Both teams hit 22 shots in the contest, with Huston-Tillotson scoring at a higher percentage, while LCU hit one more shot from above the three-point arc than HTU did, 8-7. Ball security was key in the contest as the Rams committed 21 turnovers, 12 being live ball steals by the Wildcats, which led to 26 Wildcat points off Rams turnovers. By contrast, the Wildcats only committed 13 total turnovers, six due to HTU steals, and the Rams scored but four points off the LCU miscues.
 
The Wildcats (7-6, 2-0 RRAC) go for their fourth straight victory on the road on Thursday in a Battle of the Wildcats at Wiley. Tip-off of Thursday's game against the Wiley Wildcats (7-4, 0-0 RRAC) is set for 7:30 P.M., or about 25 minutes following the end of the women's game, at Wiley's Alumni Gymnasium.