Box Score IRVING, Texas -
Antonio Wertz scored nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds
as the University of New Orleans men's basketball team's completed an
undefeated January with its seventh straight win, a 63-42 victory on
Sunday over the University of Dallas.
The win streak is the longest for the UNO (12-4) program since 1996-97 when Tic Price led the Privateers to their second-straight Sun Belt Conference championship and a berth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
Zach Kinsley was the lone player in double-figures for head coach Joe Pasternack's squad, scoring 13. Wertz was joined by teammates
Bryce Kemp and
K.C. Ross-Miller in scoring nine points apiece.
UD fell to 2-17 with the loss, receiving 15 points and nine rebounds from Ross Davidson with Noah Pettit adding 11.
The Crusaders led by as many as five points in the game's first four minutes before
Max Banchy drained a three-pointer with 13:02 left in the first half to give UNO its first advantage at 11-9. The Privateers would lead for the remainder of the first half, never getting ahead by more than six points.
With both teams failing to produce points on the scoreboard in the final 2:25 before the half, UNO would retain a 30-28 lead into the break.
In the second half, UNO seized control of the game, but not before UD would enjoy an early advantage at 32-30 with 16:34 left in the contest.
From that point forward, the game was clearly in the Privateers' favor as the team relied on its nationally ranked defense to hold the hosts to 4 of 17 shooting while forcing 10 turnovers in the second half.
The poor shooting by the Crusaders allowed UNO to outscore the home team 33-11 over the game's final 16:34. The Privateers gained their largest lead of the game at 21 points on a
Reginald Franklin jumper with 1:04 left.
UNO will return to Texas next Saturday to face St. Thomas in Houston at 3 p.m. The Privateers head into the contest two games shy of becoming the 13th different UNO squad to win at least nine games, last accomplished by the 1995-96 SBC championship squad that advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
