Privateers Bounce Past Mustangs, 90-60

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NEW ORLEANS, La. – With a career-high 22 points from Nate Frye and a season-best 10 blocks, the New Orleans men's basketball team slid past Central Baptist, 90-60, on Tuesday night, ending the non-conference season on a high-note.
 
The Privateers remain undefeated at the Lakefront Arena with the win while improving their record to 4-5 overall, making New Orleans victorious in two out of its last three games.
 
New Orleans put four players in double-figure scoring during the outing while shooting 53-percent from the field as a team and outrebounding the Mustangs, 49-29.
 
"It's good to close out the non-conference schedule undefeated at the friendly confines," said New Orleans head coach Mark Slessinger. "It was important for us to keep the momentum going and moving forward after a big road win over Southern Illinois and a competitive game at Indiana."
 
After Central Baptist, now 4-6, took a 4-0 lead in the first two minutes of action, the Privateers took control and never looked back, starting with a jumper from Frye that put New Orleans on the board shortly thereafter.
 
Frye then sank a pair of freebies to tie it up at 2-2 followed by a layup from Christavious Gill to give the Privateers the lead, an edge they went on to hold for the remainder of the contest.
 
With another make from the charity stripe, Frye put New Orleans on top by double-figures at 12-8 with 15 to go. The Privateers then enjoyed a 10-0 run sparked off by a pair from Frye at the line. Gill and teammate Tevin Broyles each put in a field goal with a big three from Bryce Jackson on the Broyles assist putting the home team up 26-12 at the 9:11 mark.
 
A layup from Thibodeaux and two more from Frye at the free-throw line gave New Orleans its largest lead of the half at 21 with 4:37 remaining in the period as the Privateers cruised through the first 20 minutes with a 46-28 lead.
 
New Orleans saw a career-high 18 points in the half from Frye, seven of those coming at the line, to go with eight team blocks, three alone from Thibodeaux.
 
Coming out in the second half New Orleans quickly extended its lead to 26 within the first four minutes with makes from Hill, Frye and Weisbrod, keeping the Privateers on top 58-32.
 
Central Baptist managed to get the lead below 20 at the 14:25 mark, the Mustangs connecting on a layup to make it 61-42. The visitors got it down to 18 twice more, the final time coming with 12:23 to go before ripping off an 11-2 run to go up 27.
 
Hill put in a jumper with 6:54 to play, giving New Orleans its largest lead of the night at 30 points, 83-53, as the Privateers cruised to the 90-60 win in the final five minutes.
 
Offensively, Frye led the way for both teams while Gill tipped in 15, Syon added 14 and Hill was good for 10.
 
From the field Frye put up a 7-for-9 night and was a perfect 7-of-7 from the line while the Privateers shot a stellar 31-for-59 as a team.
 
In the paint New Orleans put in 48 points on the offensive end along with the team's 10 blocks, Thibodeaux knocking back four of those.
 
On the boards the Privateers saw a pair of 8-rebound performances from both Thibodeaux and Syon, all of Thibodeaux's coming on the defensive end, limiting the Mustangs to just six second-chance points.
 
The Privateers are back in action at the Lakefront Arena on Monday, Jan. 5 as New Orleans kicks off Southland Conference play with a 7:45 p.m. CT contest against Lamar.

To keep up with the latest New Orleans men' basketball news, follow the team on Twitter @UNOPrivateers and @Privateers_MBB or by liking New Orleans Privateers on Facebook.