Privateers Fall Late in Tight Affair with Islanders, 55-53

BOX SCORE (XML) | BOX SCORE (PDF)

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The New Orleans men's basketball team held an eight-point lead over Southland Conference foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi late on Monday night, but ultimately fell in a back-and-forth affair, 55-53, in the American Bank Center.
 
The contest saw 13 lead changes and five ties including five in the last five minutes alone as New Orleans moves its record to 7-14 overall and 3-9 in conference play.
 
"Our kids played with incredible resolve and toughness," said New Orleans head coach Mark Slessinger. "I'm proud of our effort and we did a lot of positives on the floor tonight. We just needed one more made basket at the end. We just have to stay positive and things are going to start turning our way."
 
In the first 20 minutes of play it was Corpus Christi that jumped out on top, holding a lead for the majority of the first period. The Islanders enjoyed their largest advantage of the half at the 11:32 mark after a made three-pointer put the home team on top, 16-8.
 
But New Orleans stormed back as Christavious Gill made it a one-point affair with a 15-footer with 6:36 to go, cutting the lead down to 18-17. The Islanders managed to bump their lead back up to two-possessions on two separate occasions, but each time New Orleans had the answer, keeping things close down the stretch.
 
With Texas A&M-Corpus Christi up 21-20 with 1:29 to go, Gill hit the big jumper to give New Orleans its first lead of the night at 21-20. The Islanders managed to regain a brief lead at 23-21, but Gill again came up big, ending the half with back-to-back three-pointers to send the game into the break at 27-23 New Orleans.
 
Out of the gates in the second period the teams exchanged baskets through the first three minutes, Travin Thibodeaux keeping New Orleans in the lead at 31-29 with a block, a board and a basket.
 
Tevin Broyles gave New Orleans a seven-point lead with a layup, forcing the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi timeout with 14:25 to play, putting the Privateers on top 37-30.
 
But the Islanders didn't go away quietly, an 8-0 run over the next four minutes putting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi back on top by one, 38-37, after a made basket and a free throw.
 
Kevin Brown went on to toss in five consecutive following the big Islander run, putting New Orleans back on top momentarily before a three-pointer from the home team knotted things up 42 with under eight minutes to go.
 
After a pair of ties and lead changes it was Gill that put New Orleans back on top with 4:06 to go, hitting on a three off of a Broyles assist to set the Privaters on top, 49-48.
 
Terrance Syon put in one of his two free-throw attempts to tie things up at 50 following an Islander made layup with 2:30 to go, keeping things tight through the final minutes.
 
Broyles then picked up a big steal and a fast-break layup, giving the Privateers a one-point edge at 53-52 with :30 remaining before the Islanders hit on a layup with just five ticks left on the clock, putting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on top, 55-53 following a free throw.
 
New Orleans failed to get off the final shot of the ballgame as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi took the two-point affair.
 
The top scorer for the Privateers was Gill who put in 13 while Brown was close behind with his 12, Gill tossing in three three-pointers and Brown bringing in five rebounds.
 
On the boards New Orleans outrebounded the competition 37-35 with Hill and Syon each hauling in seven.
 
As a team the Privateers turned the ball over just six times on the night while forcing 15 from the Islanders, turning those into 23 points on the other end.
 
New Orleans makes its return to the Lakefront Arena this Saturday, February 21, at 6:15 p.m. CT as in-state foe Northwestern State heads into town for a league matchup.

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.