Box Score UNO-BSU Box Score
LAS VEGAS – An early barrage of three-pointers by Boise State proved too much for New Orleans to overcome in a 67-51 loss on Sunday afternoon at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
BSU (9-2) led by 24 points with 3:48 remaining in the opening half after connecting on seven of 11 three-point attempts during the first 20 minutes.
Anthony Drmic accounted for four three-pointers en route to a game-high 20 points while Jeff Elorriaga added 14 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 effort from beyond the arc in the opening half.
UNO (3-8) was able to cut the deficit to 10 points on several occasions throughout the second half, the last of which came on a
Lovell Cook jumper with 11:24 remaining in the contest. Cook scored 15 points to lead the Privateers with
Cory Dixon and
Rarlensee Nelson adding 13 and 11 points, respectively.
The hot-shooting Elorriaga made a difference early, including a stretch of three straight possessions in which he nailed a shot from beyond the arc. The Elorriaga three-pointers turned a 9-4 lead into an 18-6 advantage for the Broncos.
With BSU making seven of 11 attempts from a distance in the opening 20 minutes, the Mountain West squad's edge reached a first half high of 24 points at 42-18 with 3:48 remaining.
UNO forced five Bronco turnovers in the final 3:16 of the first half and held BSU without a basket until the final buzzer to get within 18 at 44-26. In the second half, the Privateers embarked on another 8-2 run and eventually cut the deficit down to 10 points on a Dixon jumper with 14:59 remaining in the game.
UNO had several opportunities to get within single digits of their opponent as BSU struggled from long-range shooting 0-for-7 to begin the second half before Drimic made a three-pointer with 5:20 remaining in the game.
The No. 10 ranked three-point offense in the country, BSU was held to just 1 of 11 shooting from beyond the arc in the second half as the Privateers outscored the squad 25-23 in the final 20 minutes.
UNO will next take to the floor on Thursday, Jan. 3 at Mississippi State. The 6 p.m. contest will be aired on Comcast Sports Southeast, ESPN3 and ESPN Full Court.
NOTES
UNO's bench outscored BSU 13-11 in the contest. The Privateer reserves have outscored their opponents in 9 of 11 contests on the season with a single tie.
Lovell Cook shot 50 percent from the field (7 of 13), rebounding from his first sub-40 percent effort on the season. Cook has shot 50 percent or better from the field in 9 of 11 contests.
Cory Dixon reached double-figures with 10 points in the first half before finishing with 13 points for the game. Dixon has scored in double-figures in four of the last five games – all off the bench.
James Madison assistant Mike Deane sat in the crowd behind the scorer's table at Sunday's game. UNO assistant
Kenyon Spears played for Deane at Lamar before joining Deane's staff at the Southland Conference school and later at Wagner.
