PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University men's basketball team held a 66-62 lead with 3:30 remaining during Tuesday night's contest against Dillard, but saw the Bleu Devils pull off a 13-2 run to take the win away from the Wildcats, 75-69, Tuesday night at Gene Rushing Court at H.O. West Fieldhouse.
The first half was tight throughout with neither team leading by more than five points until Dillard (4-2) used a 12-3 run to turn a 31-28 lead into a 43-31advantage with 50 seconds left until halftime. Louisiana Christian (1-5) was able to score the final four points of the half to get that deficit down to eight points, 43-35, at the break.
Dillard seemed poised to put the game away early in the second half, pushing their advantage up to its largest of the game at 14 points, 49-35, just 2:15 into the final 20 minutes.
However, a three-pointer by
Justice Kelly started a 14-2 LCU run which Kelly also finished as he scored in the paint to cut the Bleu Devil lead down to just two points at 51-49 with 12:45 remaining.
Dillard pushed its lead back up to six points, 55-49, before a
Bryce Weinmunson three-ball started an 8-2 spurt by the Wildcats to get the score back even at 57-57 with just less than nine minutes left.
LCU finally reclaimed the lead with 4:32 left as
Chad Jones connected on a free throw which put the Wildcats up 63-62. He then came up with a steal and hit a three on Louisiana Christian's ensuing possession to put the Wildcats up 66-62 with 3:45 to go.
But that's where Dillard started its game-ending push as LCU went cold from the field and the free throw line while the Bleu Devils hit several key shots late to pull away, going up 75-68 with just under a minute left on a three-pointer. The game's final point belonged to Jones at the free throw line for the Wildcats.
After missing the last four games due to injury, Kelly went seven-of-10 from the field for 22 points to lead all scorers. He also grabbed seven rebounds, had three assists, and came up with a steal.
Weinmunson hit three three-point shots on the night, finishing the game with 15 points to go with five rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
Jones and
Corey Lombard, Jr. both came off the bench to score 11 points. Jones added two rebounds, two assists, and a steal while Lombard grabbed two boards.
LCU finished the game hitting 49.1 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from above the three-point arc.
The Wildcats now head into Red River Athletic Conference play for the first time this season next Tuesday as #14 LSU Alexandria makes the trip across the Red River into Pineville for the Red River Rivalry game. Tip-off of Tuesday's contest against the 14-ranked Generals (3-1, 0-0 RRAC) is set for 7:30 p.m. at Gene Rushing Court at H.O. West Fieldhouse.
