Box Score
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The New Orleans Privateers men's basketball mounted a second half comeback, but the team's rally came up short in its 80-61 loss to the Sam Houston State Bearkats on Saturday afternoon.
"It was unfortunate that it took us a while to get going, but once we did we made a game of it," said Head Coach
Mark Slessinger. "The outcome was not what we wanted and is disappointing, but that does not take anything away from what this team means to me – especially the seniors who played their last game here tonight."
Cory Dixon,
Isaac Mack and
Tradarrius McPhearson played their final collegiate game for the Privateers. Dixon led all scorers with 19 points which was coupled with 10 rebounds for a double-double; Mack had two points and five assists, and McPhearson closed out his career with three points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal.
"I cannot say enough about these three young men for sticking with the program. They believe in what we were trying to accomplish and build, which is why they stayed. I love them and have the utmost respect for them for seeing this thing through," added Slessinger.
The Privateers (11-14, 8-10 Southland) trailed by as many as 23 points before halftime, and managed to cut the deficit to as few as 11 – 64-53 – via a three-point play by
Kevin Hill with 6:58 left in the second half. However, that is as close as the Privateers came to getting a victory over the Southland Conference Tournament bound Sam Houston State Bearkats.
The Bearkats (21-9, 13-5 Southland) raced out to a 13-0 lead before
Terrance Syon broke the ice for New Orleans with a bucket in the paint. After spotting Sam Houston State 13 points to start the game, the Privateers cut the deficit to as few as four points on a 15-foot jumper from Dixon. However, Sam Houston State re-built its lead to take a 21-point, 43-22, lead into intermission.
Christavious Gill was the only other Privateer in double figures besides Dixon with 10 points, while the Bearkats featured four players over the 10-point plateau with Kaheem Ransom and Michael Holyfield each with a team-high 17.
Sam Houston State will go on to participate in the Southland Conference tournament while New Orleans' campaign comes to an end.
