Comeback Bid Falls Short, Privateers Slip Against Bearkats 68-62

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NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans men's basketball team cut a 16-point Sam Houston State lead down to just four points late in the game but couldn't land the knock-out punch, falling to the Bearkats 68-62 on Saturday night.
 
The loss ends a three-game home stand for the Privateers who took two out of three on their home floor and now hold a 5-6 overall record and a 1-1 mark in the Southland Conference.
 
"We came out slow tonight and that's very uncharacteristic for us," said New Orleans head coach Mark Slessinger. "We didn't come out with energy and overthought things and they came out hot and fired away. Us coming out the way we did put is in too big of a hole. In the second half we got some ball movement and spread out their defense and our guys bought into it and responded, it just took us too long to figure it out."
 
Out of the second half Sam Houston State (11-4, 3-0 SLC) connected on a quick three-pointer from the wing, giving the Bearkats their largest lead of the night at 16 points, 37-21.
 
New Orleans then came to life, going on a 6-0 run with baskets from Tevin Broyles and Nate Frye to make it a 10-point game with 17:38 to go. Just two minutes later the Privateers brought the lead down to single digits on a Christavious Gill free throw, 41-32.
 
After Sam Houston extended its lead back up to 12 at 49-37 with 11:11 remaining, the Privateers again found a way, Broyles putting in the layup followed by two from the charity stripe from Frye to make eight-point affair with just under 10 to play.
 
The Bearkats again brought their lead back up by double-figures with 5:52 on the clock when New Orleans made its big push, bringing it down to just six points on a Syon free throw, 58-52.
 
With just 26 ticks left on the game clock Broyles got New Orleans as close as it had been since early on in the first at four points, 63-59, but four free throws from the Bearkats ended the big New Orleans run as time expired, 68-62.
 
New Orleans never led in the first half as Sam Houston State took off to a 6-0 lead right out of the gate. The Privateers kept things close, however, holding the lead in single digits until the 6:25 mark when SHSU went up 22-12 with 6:25 to play in the first.
 
Sam Houston then ended the first half on top, 34-21.
 
New Orleans put four players in double-figures scoring including Gill and Syon who tied for the team lead with 14 each while Broyles and Hill each ended the night with 11.
 
Hill was tops for the Privateers on the glass, picking up seven boards.
 
Frye also had another nice night on the floor, going off for eight points, four assists and three steals.
 
New Orleans again played stellar in the paint, outscoring the opposition 42-32 while collecting 20 points off of 15 Sam Houston State turnovers.
 
The Privateers now hit the trail for three straight, starting on Monday, Jan. 12 as the team travels to San Antonio, Texas to face off against Incarnate Word.

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.