Box Score UNO-HBU Box Score
Post-Game Video - Cook - Slessinger
NEW ORLEANS – Playing an overtime game for the third time in their last four home contests, the New Orleans Privateers could not find a way to maintain their excellent record in extra periods, falling 75-68 to Houston Baptist in overtime on Saturday afternoon at Lakefront Arena.
The defeat was the first for UNO (7-14) in three overtime contest this year and ended the squad's five-game home winning streak that dated back to a Dec. 12 win over Nicholls State.
HBU (9-14) trailed by 14 points at 46-32 with 15:50 left in regulation. The Huskies scored 21 of the next 27 points to take a 53-52 lead with 5:31 remaining in the contest as the Privateers made just 2 of 12 shots from the field during the spurt by the guests.
As the teams battled down the stretch, UNO moved ahead 58-54 with 3:46 on a pair of free throws by
Eddie Denard. HBU scored the next six points before a pair of
Cory Dixon free throws for the Privateers with 50 seconds provided the final points in regulation.
In the extra period, the teams were tied on two occasions with UNO briefly holding a 67-65 edge with 2:52 remaining. The Huskies closed the game by scoring 10 of 11 points as the Privateers misfired on their final three field goal attempts.
Prior to the HBU erasing UNO's advantage, the hosts had the momentum on their side.
The Privateers erased an 18-12 deficit with 12:26 before the intermission by scoring nine straight points. Denard had five points during the spurt, which provided the hosts the momentum they needed to enter the break with a 35-29 advantage.
After shooting 46.4 percent from the field during the opening half, UNO's momentum continued into the early part of the second half. The Privateers made four of their first seven field goal attempts during an 11-3 run that extended their team to 14 points at 46-32 following a Banchy jumper at which time HBU got rolling.
Lovell Cook was the top scorer for UNO with 16 points while pacing the squad with eight rebounds.
Cory Dixon added 15 points with
Rarlensee Nelson contributing 11 points along with a game-high six assists.
The win for the Huskies was their fifth in a row. Art Bernardi scored a game-high 23 points to lead four members of the roster in double-figures. HBU's Caleb Clayton topped all players with 11 rebounds.
UNO will now enter a nine-day break from competition before hosting Central Baptist on Monday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. in the team's final home game of the 2012-13 campaign. The contest will take place at the Human Performance Center.
