PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University men's basketball program knocked off its lone opponent that finished above .500 at season's end in the team's 2023 on-campus opener, leading for approximately 35 of the 40 (87.5%) while staving off a late Crusaders rally to hold on for an 84-79 triumph.
 
The Basics: 
 

• Date:
  • November 9, 2023

 

• Score:
  • Louisiana Christian – 84
  • William Carey – 79

 

• Final Records:
  • Louisiana Christian (5-24, 3-19 Red River)
  • William Carey (18-10, 13-7 Southern States)

 

• Location:
  • Pineville, Louisiana – H.O. West Fieldhouse

 

• Honorable Mentions:
  • 1. Louisiana Christian Ruins Wiley's Homecoming During Lone Road Win Of Campaign (Box Score)
  • 2. Five Players Hit Double-Digits, Team Scores Season-High 94 Points To Beat Texarkana (Box Score)
  • 3. Dominant Second Half Leads LCU Past Paul Quinn For First RRAC Win (Box Score)

 
Game Recap: 
 

• The victory marked the only winning streak the club put together on the year and gave the squad a winning record for the one time on the season at 2-1.

 

• The Orange and Blue had WCU in foul trouble all night long, drawing a season-most 28 personal fouls including a pair of disqualifications that drastically affected the outcome.

 

• Senior Gary Smith dropped a game-high 24 points and four three-pointers (4-for-8, 50%) on the visitors from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, making 6-of-13 (46.2%) shots from the floor, swiping a pair of steals and corralling five rebounds en route to his first of six 20-plus scoring outbursts.

 

• Freshman Omarion Layssard had his best performance of 2023-24, collecting a season-best of both 17 points and seven free throws in addition to a quartet of boards as he logged a 62.5 (5-of-8) field goal percentage.

 

• Senior Jude Akabueze led LCU with eight rebounds and compiled a baker's dozen worth of points (13) by swishing 55.6% of his attempts despite only spending 21 minutes on the court.

 

• Sophomore Drew Tebbe led the Wildcats with a career evening of six assists and five boards, both personal-bests, with the latter statistic being a contest-high.

 
Top-Ten Wins Of 2023-24:
  

• #10 – Men's Basketball Slays William Carey In Home Debut
• #9 – Revealed June 11
• #8 – Revealed June 12
• #7 – Revealed June 13
• #6 – Revealed June 14
• #5 – Revealed June 17
• #4 – Revealed June 18
• #3 – Revealed June 19
• #2 – Revealed June 20
• #1 – Revealed June 21

 

---

 
Follow the men's basketball program on Twitter/X (@LCU_MBSK) and Instagram (@LCU.MBB).
 
Follow the Wildcats on Facebook (@LCUAthletics), Twitter/X (@LCU_Wildcats) and Instagram (@LCU_Wildcats).