New Orleans Holds on Late, Defeats Lamar 72-67 in Southland Opener

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NEW ORLEANS, La. – After trailing early on in the second half, the New Orleans men's basketball team regained momentum and held on strong, taking the lead with 13:49 to go and never looking back, winning the team's Southland Conference opener over Lamar, 72-67.
 
The win is the second in a row for the Privateers, who move their season record to .500 at 5-5 and 1-0 in the early conference season, taking the team's third win in four games as well. Lamar had its five-game win streak snapped at the Lakefront Arena, where New Orleans remains undefeated on the year.
 
"We knew the rebounds would be key," said New Orleans head coach #Mark Slessinger#. "We talked about that all week in preparation and the guys were actually mad they didn't have more. But the real story is how the guys responded and kept their composure and stayed in the fight even after giving up the lead."
 
New Orleans held a 10-point lead at the half before letting Lamar climb back in the ballgame, the Cardinals going up by two in just over three minutes time. Lamar ultimately started the half off on a 12-1 run, giving the visitor's a 30-29 lead.
 
Lamar then went up by as many as four, 41-37, with 12:45 to go before the Privateers bounced back, Colton Weisbrod starting off the run with a layup off of the Tevin Broyles steal.
 
Broyles then tied things up at 41 with a layup with 10:29 to play before Weisbrod put back his own miss, giving New Orleans the lead at 43-41. A tip-in from Broyles and a fast-break layup from Michael Zeno then made it a two-possession game, 49-44.
 
New Orleans managed to get its lead up to six just three minutes later in the tight contest, Broyles hitting a three to set the home team up 60-54. But Lamar again hung tough, bringing it back down to a one-possession game with a three of their own at 60-57.
 
A 4-0 run from New Orleans then gave the Privateers their largest lead of the half at seven points, 64-57, with a Terrance Syon dunk putting the exclamation point on the Cardinals.
 
Lamar did manage to bring the lead back within two late, but key free-throw shooting from Christavious Gill and a big steal kept the Privateers on top.
 
In what was a defensive first half of action it was New Orleans that held the lead most of the way, going up by seven through the first 10 minutes at 14-17.
 
With Lamar creeping back in at 18-14 with just under four to go, the Privateers took off on a 10-8 run, started off by a Weisbrod layup and finished off with a Frye buzzer-beater from beyond half court to send New Orleans into the intermission up 28-18.
 
Hill recorded his second double-double of the season during the victory, bringing in 14 rebounds to go with his 13 points. Frye and Gill tied for the team lead in the scoring category, each putting in 14 with three assists.
 
Weisbrod, the Southland leader in field goal percentage, added in 10 points on a 4-of-5 night from the field.
 
Broyles came close to double-figures with his nine to go with three steals and a pair of assists.
 
In the biggest battle on the boards it was New Orleans that came out on top, bringing in 44 to the Cardinals 30 and holding one of the nation's top offensive rebounding teams to just 13.
 
New Orleans will wrap-up its three-game home stand with a 6:15 p.m. match against Sam Houston State this Saturday, Jan. 10, in the Lakefront Arena.

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.