HAMMOND, La. - The New Orleans men's basketball team (8-20, 3-12 SLC) staged an impressive 16-9 run in the final six minutes of their matchup against Southeastern on Saturday afternoon, but it wasn't enough to secure a victory as they fell 76-67.
With just three games remaining in the regular season, New Orleans finds themselves one game away from eighth place behind UIW.
Leading the charge was Jordan Johnson, who put up 22 points along with five rebounds, two assists, and a team-high three steals. This marked his 15th consecutive game in double figures and his 13th game of the season with 20 or more points. Tyson Jackson also had a notable performance, contributing 17 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two assists, marking his 10th game in double figures this season.
New Orleans got off to a strong start, taking a 6-0 lead early on and extending it to ten as they approached the midway point of the first half, with Jah Short, Tyson Jackson, and Jordan Johnson leading the offensive charge. However, fueled by Nick Caldwell, who finished the half with 20 points for the Lions, Southeastern responded by shooting 4-of-4 from long range and 6-of-7 from the field to take a 22-17 lead. Despite successful free throws from Johnson and Jackson, SLU's consistent scoring, including three-pointers from Kam Burton and Roscoe Eastmond, helped them maintain their lead, closing out the half 43-25.
In the second half, the Privateers managed to shoot 51% from the field, cutting a 20-point deficit to seven. However, with just 30 seconds remaining, they ran out of time. Although SLU extended their lead to 10 points by connecting on free throws in the waning seconds, New Orleans closed out the contest with a 16-9 run. Johnson continued to lead the offensive effort with 13 points, while Kaleb Jenkins and Tyson Jackson contributed eight points each, including two crucial three-pointers from Jenkins. Jamond Vincent scored all of his six points in the second half, while Jah Short and Carlos Hart also made valuable contributions with baskets of their own.
New Orleans shot 41% from the field on the game.
UP NEXT: The Privateers will have a week of preparation before heading to San Antonio to face UIW Saturday, March 2. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.
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