Box Score
NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers (10-10, 7-5 Southland) got some critical offensive boards down the stretch to hold onto a 70-64 victory over the Nicholls State Colonels (10-11, 7-5) at Lakefront Arena on Thursday night.
The Privateers held a narrow 64-63 lead with 2:59 remaining. Both teams were held scoreless, but the Privateers had four offensive rebounds to limit Nicholls' chances down the stretch.
Kevin Hill's off-balance jumper extended the Privateers lead to three with 29.5 seconds to play.
Shane Rillieux went to the line on the next Colonels' possession, but missed both free throws.
Cory Dixon made both ends of a one-and-one on the other side to ice the game. The Colonels as a team missed three of four free throws in the final 30 seconds.
"We had to prepare during the week and I really feel we prepared to win this week. We executed and stayed focused against a difficult team to guard and got key rebounds down the stretch," said Coach
Mark Slessinger.
Both teams struggled to find their early footing in the contest. The Privateers scored the first four points before Nicholls responded with six straight to take their first lead. It was a sloppy start as in the first 10 minutes of the game there were 13 total turnovers. New Orleans exited that stretch with a 13-12 advantage.
Trailing 19-16 with 8:16 left in the opening half, the Privateers went on a 10-2 run to grab their largest lead of the first half at 26-21. The spurt was fueled by Dixon who scored five points in that stretch. Dixon reached double figures in points by halftime with 14 points while converting 12-of-13 trips from the free throw line. The two teams played the rest of the half virtually evenly as New Orleans carried a 35-29 advantage into the locker room.
Neither team could gain an edge early in the second half. After the first nine minutes of the closing half, the Privateers maintained the same six-point margin that they carried into the locker room as New Orleans led 53-47. Nicholls used a 7-0 spurt over the next three minutes to grab their first lead of the second half at 54-53. Three different Colonels scored on the run, but the advantage was short-lived as Dixon put the Privateers back up on their next possession with just under eight minutes left to set up the finish.
"We really took it personal when people picked us 13th and 14th in the pre-season. We played the toughest non-conference schedule for this reason. We put our eggs in one basket and our whole goal was in the middle of the February to win the league or be in the top three," said Slessinger.
Dixon's 26 points was a game-high and his 16 made free throws were a career-high and two shy of a school record for most made free throws in a game. Dixon landed just shy of a double-double with nine boards.
Said Slessinger about Dixon, "He really bought in from the first day of the new season last year and he worked harder than any guy I ever seen. From that time he never left New Orleans from the time the season ended last year until school started. He listened and was coachable. Just going 16-for-17 compared to last year's percentages, that's a great accomplishment for him.
Tradarrius McPhearson scored 14 points and
Kevin Hill grabbed nine boards including some crucial offensive rebounds in the final stretch to help secure the victory. The Privateers as a team out-rebounded Nicholls 37-24.
Jeremy Smith led the Colonels with 16 points. Sam McBeath added 11 while Colonels' leading scorer Dantrell Thomas was held to just 10 points and fouled out with only 24 minutes logged. Nicholls only went 12-of-22 from the free throw line.
The Privateers will take to the floor next against McNeese State. Tip is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
