NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Damion Rosser and
Troy Green caught fire in the latter half and the Privateers went 18-of-29 in the second but SFA was able to begin Southland Conference play with a 78-67 victory over New Orleans Saturday in the William Johnson Coliseum.
The Privateers outscored the Lumberjacks 45-to-42 and 29 of Rosser and Green's points came in the second stanza.
Rosser finished with 22 points, six rebounds and four steals, and shot 9-of-13 from the field and Green posted 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting with two steals. He is now No. 9 in program history in steals with 116.
SFA 78, New Orleans 67
Records: SFA (4-2, 1-0 Southland)), New Orleans (1-8, 0-1 Southland)
Location: William Johnson Coliseum (Nacogdoches, Texas)
KEY MOMENTS
- Both teams started slow, but SFA secured a double-digit lead heading into the locker room.
- The Privateers cut what was a 19-point deficit to 10 in the second half.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- SFA did not connect on its first field goal until after the under-16 media and went on a 7-0 run to follow Green's opening bucket.
- The 'Jacks run was officially 11-2 for a 11-4 lead at the under-12 media.
- New Orleans went on an 8-0 run behind 14 free throws and forced some late SFA turnovers to cut its deficit to eight with 2:35 to go in the first.
STATS
- There were 25 personal fouls in the first half and a combined 33 free throw attempts.
- The Privateers connected on 14-of-18 from the charity stripe, while SFA was 11-of-15.
- The Jacks led 36-22 after one behind Roti Ware's 11 points. SFA forced 17 first half turnovers while recording 10 miscues in the opening half.
- The Jacks scored 17 points off turnovers.
- There was one combined three-pointer in the first 20 minutes of the game.
- Rosser led the Privateers with eight points and two steals.
- Green's pair of steals surpassed legend Ronnie Grandison for ninth in program history (116).
GAME NOTES
- LaDarius Marshall started his second consecutive game for the Privateers.
- SFA leads the series 8-2 and has won three in a row.
- Green appeared in his 104th game as a Privateer Saturday, tying Warren Booker (1973-77), Bryson Robinson (2016-20) and Jaroslav Tyrna (2008-11) for No. 24 on career games played.
- Today was Rosser's third career 20-point game. All three have come this season.
- Charles Bohannon made his season debut after returning from injury. Today is Bohannon's 22nd birthday.
- Rodney Carson Jr. drained the team's first three-pointer in the closing seconds of the ballgame. The sophomore finished with nine points.
UP NEXT
The Privateers conclude what will be a seven-game road triple at Central Arkansas Wednesday at 7 p.m.
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