PINEVILLE, La. - The Louisiana Christian University men's basketball team used a 21-2 run to cut a 22-point deficit down to just a one-possession score, but the Wildcats couldn't close those final few points, falling 82-71 to the William Carey Crusaders Saturday evening at Gene Rushing Court at H.O. West Fieldhouse.
 
Louisiana Christian (1-4) was battling from behind almost from the start as William Carey (6-0) jumped out to a 13-2 lead in just more than four minutes of action.
 
After a trade of baskets made it 15-4 Crusaders, a jumper by Drew Tebbe kicked off a 20-6 LCU run. The Wildcats took their first lead of the game on a pair of Tomario Thomas, Jr. which made it 21-19 LCU. The run ended with Thomas, Jr. connecting on a three-pointer, giving the Wildcats a 24-21 lead with seven minutes left in the half.
 
However, the Crusaders answered with a 14-2 run, regaining a nine-point lead at 35-26 with 3:30 left in the first half. WCU took a 37-31 lead into the halftime locker room.
 
Carey opened the second half in similar fashion to the first, starting the period with a 21-5 to open a 22-point advantage, 58-36, the largest of the game. A trade of three-point possessions made it 61-39 Crusaders before LCU's big run began.
 
Tebbe kicked off the 21-2 run with a shot from beyond the arc and Chad Jones ended it, getting to the rim and scoring on a lay-up to make it 63-60 WCU with 7:30 left in the game.
 
But the Crusaders kept the Wildcats at bay, scoring the next six points to get their advantage back up to nine points. LCU cut it back down to four points twice during the game's closing minutes, the final time with just less than 2:30 left as a Joshua Escheik lay-up made it 73-69 WCU. However, LCU's shots failed to fall late, and Carey pulled away at the free throw line, closing the game on a 9-2 run to open the gap to its final score.
 
Jones came off the bench to lead the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points. He also grabbed six rebounds, dished out three assists, and had two steals.
 
Escheik and Tebbe both scored 14 points. Escheik hit five shots, four from above the three-point arc, while grabbing three rebounds and giving out an assist. Tebbe also hit five field goals, two from three-point range, grabbed two rebounds, doled out two assists, and came up with a steal.
 
Larry Lee rounded out the leading scorers with 12 points while grabbing six rebounds.
 
While not his best day shooting, Bryce Weinmunson made big contributions in other ways, grabbing 16 rebounds and handing out six assists while scoring seven points and getting four steals.
 
LCU finished the game hitting 39 percent from the field, 31 percent from above the three-point arc. The Wildcats hit 16 free throws in the contest, the most in a game so far through the young 2025-26 season.
 
The Wildcats look to end the four-game skid on Tuesday evening as Dillard makes the trip to Pineville from New Orleans. Tip-off of Tuesday's contest against the Bleu Devils (3-2) is set for 7:30 p.m. at Gene Rushing Court at H.O. West Fieldhouse.