SAN JOSE, Calif. - New Orleans men's basketball team (4-5) pushed San Jose State to the wire in a hard-fought 87-82 defeat Saturday afternoon at Provident Credit Union Event Center.
Trailing by four at 86-82 with seven seconds left, New Orleans went for a shot from deep that was off the mark. After a defensive rebound by the Spartans, a final made free-throw sealed the game. This marked the third meeting between the two teams with San Jose State taking a 2-1 edge.
Jordan Johnson led New Orleans with 24 points, four rebounds and six assists. Behind the senior out of Memphis, Tenn. was true freshman
Jah Short, who had a career-night. Short, named the New Orleans Player of the Game, put up 18 points on perfect scoring from the field (7-7) with a team-high eight rebounds in 17 minutes.
Tyson Jackson was just shy of his second game in double-figures with nine points plus three rebounds. New Orleans enjoyed a balanced scoring effort with all 10 players who touched the floor contributing at least two points.
Myron Amey, Jr. led for the Spartans with a career-high 29 points and seven rebounds.
New Orleans overcame a seven-point deficit early in opening half to lead by as much as ten with six minutes remaining. While Johnson scored 10 of the Privateers' first 22 points, players like Turk Vincent,
Jah Short, James Glisson III and Omar Henry provided an immediate spark off the bench to give the Privateers the lead at just under the 10-minute mark.
Short led the impressive rebounding effort earning six of his first seven points on second-chance opportunities. The Spartans cut the lead down to one on an 11-2 run, but New Orleans was unrelenting as Johnson drained two more shots from deep to pace the Privateers with 15 points and a 44-40 lead into the locker room. The Privateers shot 55% from the arc on 6-of-11 and 48.65% from the field to close the half.
New Orleans remained in the lead for most of the second half extending it to as much as nine with
Carlos Hart,
D'Ante Bell, Johnson, Short, and
Khaleb Wilson-Rouse providing offense.
The Spartans then went on a 21-10 run, spearheaded by Alvar Cardena, who hit three three-pointers, to take a 71-69 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the game. San Jose State were able to stretch the lead to seven, but Short made a second-chance layup, followed by a pair of Johnson free-throws to cut the deficit to three but the Spartans held on to stay unbeaten at home on the season.
The Privateers won the rebounding battle, 47-35, while converting 17 offensive boards to 21 second chance points. New Orleans shot 45% from the field overall.
NEXT UP: The Privateers look to split the west coast swing as they take on San Francisco at 9 p.m. on Monday.
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For 54 seasons, Privateer student-athletes have had the unique experience of wearing New Orleans across their chests. Like the city itself, our sports teams have been fueled by resiliency, grit, and the unquenchable desire to win. Our city also houses the nation's biggest celebration each year. And much like a Mardi Gras parade krewe, we are tethered to our community through pride, tradition, a culture of acceptance, and finally our commitment to show that New Orleans is a world-class city to live, learn, play and work. We invite you to become more involved with the only University that truly represents New Orleans all day, every day. Join #NOLAsTeam, We Are Your Krewe! To make a direct impact on the student-athlete experience, visit
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