LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Wildcats of Louisiana Christian University returned to their winning ways Saturday with an emphatic 82-50 win at previously-undefeated Philander Smith College.
 
Delor Johnson scored a game-high 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting to lead the Wildcats (4-3), who have won four of their previous five games. Bailey Hardy added 16 points and Gary Smith (pictured) chipped in 10 points for LCU.
 
Philander Smith, which opened their Thanksgiving Classic the previous day with a 98-70 exhibition win over John Melvin University of Crowley, La., got 10 points from Aaron Johnson. PSC had won its first seven games of the season.
 
The Wildcats overwhelmed their hosts in the first half and took a 39-19 lead into halftime. LCU shot 67 percent (14 of 21) in the first half while holding the Panthers to 21 percent shooting (6 of 28).
 
For the game, the Wildcats shot 55 percent (30 of 54) from the field.
 
LCU's lead never dipped below 20 points in the second half. The Wildcats completely took the wind from PSC's proverbial sails when a steal by Drew Tebbe led to Jamael Owusu's fast-break layup off a behind-the-back pass from Caleb Howe gave LCU a 60-35 lead.
 
The 32-point victory was the largest for the Wildcats since their 95-59 win at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Ark. on Feb. 14, 2019.
 
Owusu scored nine points for the Wildcats, while Tebbe scored five points and handed out a game-high five assists off the LCU bench.
 
The Wildcats return to action Monday, Nov. 28, when they open Red River Athletic Conference play in New Orleans at Xavier University. The basketball doubleheader will begin with the women's game at 5:30 p.m., with the men set to the second contest.