Privateers Overcome 20-Point Deficit, Fall 71-67 in Overtime to Islanders

BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF) | HOMECOMING PHOTO GALLERY | PHOTO GALLERY

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans men's basketball team overcame a 20-point deficit on Saturday night, sending the Southland Conference match-up into overtime before dropping a tightly contested ballgame to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi during the 2015 homecoming game presented by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
 
With New Orleans down three points with just 32 seconds remaining in regulation, Kevin Brown drew the foul beyond the arc, sending the senior to the line where he sank all three of his free throws to tie the game up at 60, sending the contest into overtime.
 
In the bonus period New Orleans, now 5-10 on the year and 1-5 in the Southland Conference, went ahead early, going up 66-62 on a Terrance Syon slam and two more Brown freebies.
 
But The Islanders (10-8, 5-1 SLC) came back, going on a 6-0 run to take a two point lead. The Privateers had opportunities to tie things up in the final seconds, but the contested shots fell short as New Orleans lost its first overtime contest of the season.
 
"My hat goes off to campus and the student leaders for supporting us," said New Orleans head coach Mark Slessinger. "We were blessed to have the crowd and they got to see a great college basketball game. I'm disappointed in the result but we fought back and kept our composure and I'm excited for that. We can't pout about it, though, we just have to get back at it and get ready for Monday."
 
The Privateers overcame a 20-point deficit in the first half after falling behind in the first 14 minutes, 35-15. New Orleans then held the hot-shooting Islander offense scoreless for the remainder of the first, going on a 14-0 run to send the game into the half down just six at 35-29.
 
Kevin Hill was good for six of the 14 points while Brown tipped in four during the big New Orleans run.
 
In the second half Corpus Christi broke its dry spell, scoring the first basket of the half to put the Privateers down by eight. But New Orleans again found its offensive rhythm, scoring the next seven consecutive to make it a one-point affair at 37-36 with 14:56 to go.
 
The Islanders managed to extend their lead back up to three with a jumper, but Nate Frye then tied up the ballgame for the first time, drilling a three to knot it up at 41 at the 11:44 mark.
 
New Orleans got its first lead of the night with 9:23 remaining in regulation as freshman Colton Weisbrod put in the layup, sending the Privateers up 45-43 with Christavious Gill making it a two-possession game with two points in the paint.
 
The two teams then played to five lead changes and three ties over the last seven minutes of action before Brown put in his three game-saving free throws in the final seconds.
 
Offensively New Orleans put four players in double-figures including Hill who recorded his third double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Frye sank 14 of his own, going 7-of-9 from the stripe, while Brown added 13 and Gill was good for 10.
 
New Orleans was again tough in the paint, outscoring Corpus Christi 38-28 under the basket while also collecting 20 points from the bench.
 
The Privateers are back on the hardwood this Monday, Jan. 26, as New Orleans welcomes in Central Arkansas in a 7 p.m. CT contest.

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.