Box Score UNO-SJSU Box Score
Slessinger Post-Game Interview
Cook/Dixon Interview
NEW ORLEANS –
Cory Dixon connected on a game-winning lay-up with 15.3 seconds to lift the New Orleans Privateers to a 72-68 victory over San Jose State at Lakefront Arena on Friday night.
Trailing by as many as 12 points with 6:39 to go in the first half, UNO (1-0) put together a strong second 20 minutes. The Privateers rallied to overcome the deficit, taking their first lead of the contest on a
Rarlensee Nelson free throw with 6:30 left in the game.
Lovell Cook scored 12 of his team-high 20 points during the second half as the Privateers shot a blistering 66.7 percent from the field. The second half surge was a stark contrast from the 33.3 clip of the first half.
Facing a four-point deficit following a three-pointer by SJSU's (0-1) D.J. Brown with 2:40 left in the contest, Nelson completed an 8-for-8 effort at the line with a pair of free throws. One last jumper by the Spartans with 1:22 left were the visitors' final points of the contest.
Cook connected on a dunk with 48 seconds remaining before a missed SJSU jumper led to the Dixon play. The Spartans' James Kinney missed a lay-up with six seconds to go and the ball headed out of bounds with three seconds left, icing the contest.
The end of the second half was a far cry from the opening minutes of the contest, which saw the Privateers down 11 points at the 14:37 mark. UNO had started the game by making just one of 10 shots from the field.
SJSU had the hot hand early by connecting on 5 of 7 shot attempts. The Spartans gained their game-high lead of 12 points with 6:39 before the intermission. UNO reeled the guests in just before the half, getting within three before entering the break, trailing SJSU 30-25.
Cook was joined in double-figure scoring by Dixon and Nelson. Dixon scored 13 points in his Privateer debut on 6 of 12 shooting with Nelson's perfect night at free throw line leading to 12 points.
SJSU received a game-high 23 points by Kinney, the All-WAC preseason pick. LaVanne Pennington added 13 points for the Spartans, who will host the Privateers later in the season.
UNO will stay at home to host Southern Illinois on Monday at 7 p.m. Tickets are presently on-sale by calling (504) 280-GAME, visiting TicketMaster.com or the Lakefront Arena Box Office.
NOTES
UNO head coach
Mark Slessinger improves to 14-2 at home during his tenure as the helm of the Privateer program… Grammy Award-winning trumpet play Irvin Mayfield Jr. played the national anthem…The Privateers' attendance of 1,419 was the largest crowd at Lakefront Arena since the building re-opening following Hurricane Katrina.
