Box Score
CONWAY, Ark. – The New Orleans Privateers men's basketball team (9-10, 6-5 Southland) used a strong offensive effort in an 88-79 win over the Central Arkansas Bears (6-16, 3-8) at the Farris Center on Saturday.
New Orleans used a balanced effort and solid shooting to help gain the little separation needed in the second half of what was a tight game throughout. No team led by more than the final margin of nine points. There were 10 total ties and 16 lead changes on the night.
In the final minute, up 82-77, the Privateers sunk all four of their free throws to help ice the game. As a team, New Orleans had a 34-19 advantage in free throw attempts and scored 12 more points than the Bears at the charity stripe. The Privateers converted all six free throws in the final minute.
"It was a huge game for us," said Privateers assistant coach,
Kenyon Spears. "We didn't come out ready on Thursday night, but we bounced back. We came back to work and did the things we wanted to do. Our game plan was to out-rebound and get to the free throw line. I can't give our guys enough credit for battling back from a tough loss Thursday night."
The Privateers used their first significant push, an 8-2 spurt to push their lead to 62-55 with 11:44 remaining, capped by a
Christavious Gill three-pointer. Though Central Arkansas cut the lead to as low as two points on two different occasions, New Orleans managed to maintain the lead for the remainder of the game.
The game started with a fast offensive tempo and neither team being able to get separation. There were six lead changes and four ties in the first nine minutes alone. The Privateers and Bears came out of that early stretch tied at 20-20.
Said Spears about the senior class, which helped lead the charge on the night, "They've been through a lot. We told them there would be bumps in the road, but to stay the course."
Both teams continued a see saw battle throughout the first half as no team led by more than four points in the opening 20 minutes of play.
Kevin Hill had a second chance bucket with six seconds left in the half to send New Orleans to the locker room with a 41-40 lead.
In all there were nine ties and 12 lead changes in the opening half. The Privateers also had a balanced effort to start as all nine players who got minutes in the first half scored. The battle continued into the second half as there were four lead changes in the first five minutes of the final stanza.
Cory Dixon led the team with 20 points and seven rebounds. Three Privateers joined Dixon in double figures, including
Tevin Broyles and Gill who scored 12 points each.
Tradarrius McPhearson added 11. The Privateers out-rebounded the Bears 44-32 on the night.
Kevin Hill led the Privateers on the boards with 11 to go along with nine points.
LaQuentin Miles proved difficult to stop as he put up a game-high 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting. "He really plays hard and made some tough baskets, but in the second half our guys took the challenge of stopping him from getting into the lane. Our guys rallied around each other," said Spears about the Bears' leading scorer on the evening.
New Orleans wraps up their five-game road trip with a 4-1 record, and now returns home to take on Nicholls State on Feb. 13.
