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LeTourneau University Athletics

LeTourneau University, opens in new tab
LeTourneau University, opens in new tab
Nate West
Natalie Connelly
94
Louisiana College LCM 13-4, 6-3 ASC
97
Winner LeTourneau LETU 11-6, 7-3 ASC
Louisiana College LCM
13-4, 6-3 ASC
94
Final
97
LeTourneau LETU
11-6, 7-3 ASC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Louisiana College LCM 44 50 94
LeTourneau LETU 45 52 97

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | Contact: Matt Kinney, Sports Information Director, mattkinney@letu.edu

Free Throws, Defense Sparks LeTourneau Men's Basketball Home Win

LONGVIEW, Texas – Needing a late 9-2 rally to end the game, the LeTourneau University men's basketball team would come up with key stops down the stretch to overcome a 92-86 deficit and take a 97-94 home victory over Louisiana College in American Southwest Conference action at Solheim Arena on Saturday, January 19th.
 
LETU finishes the weekend going 2-0 to improve to 11-6 overall and 7-3 in the ASC while the Wildcats drop both games on their weekend road trip to fall to 13-4 overall and 6-3 in the ASC.
 
"I loved the defensive stops and especially our last defensive stop of the afternoon" said head coach Dan Miller in a post-game interview. "We knew we would be in a close game because Louisiana College is a really good team but at the end of the day, we found a way to earn a big win." "Louisiana College is a veteran club and has a lot of good players so we know that the next time we play them will be another good battle in Pineville."
 
How It Happened:
  • Junior Nate West would get things started for the YellowJackets with a pull up jumper 13 seconds into the game before seeing LC respond with an 8-0 run as the Wildcats got off to a quick start in the first three minutes of the contest.
  • LETU would see Louisiana College maintain a two-possession lead for the next three-plus minutes of action before using an 11-0 run to flip a five-point deficit into a five-point lead as C.J. Bird would drain a three to put LeTourneau up 20-15 with 12:22 remaining in the first half.
  • Both the YellowJackets and Wildcats would match each other shot for shot as Louisiana College would be unable to cut into the LETU lead until a 7-2 spurt put the score at 34-32 in favor of LeTourneau.
  • A Jaylen Rhone jumper would tie the score at 36-36 with 2:45 remaining before seeing West and sophomore Justin Moore score five straight points to put the YellowJackets back up five as 12 points would be scored in the final 1:35 with LeTourneau holding a 45-44 lead at the break.
  • LC would grab the lead right of the gates in the second half on a Timothy Stokes jumper before seeing an 8-2 LETU run reclaim a five-point lead at 53-48.
  • Things would continue to be back-and-forth as Louisiana College would use an 8-2 run to open a 59-55 lead with 16:18 remaining but then see Caleb Loggins score six straight points on his own to put LeTourneau back on top.
  • A 61-61 deadlock made way for a 7-0 YellowJacket run that put LeTourneau up 68-61 as LeTourneau would look to find momentum midway through the second half and look to break the game open to double-digits.
  • It would be a short-lived run however as Louisiana College once again would battle back to close within two multiple times before pulling within a single-point at 77-76 with 6:57 left in the game.
  • Bird and Elijah Gerber would combine for four straight points to put LETU back up five at 81-76 just over a minute later, but it would be LC who would go on an 11-2 run to snag an 87-83 lead with just over three minutes remaining.
  • After trading three-point baskets, LETU would see Louisiana College take their largest lead of the contest at 92-86 with 2:20 remaining, but quickly respond with a West jumper to trail by four with 2:09 left in the contest.
  • A massive Loggins rebound and put back pulled LeTourneau back within two at 92-90 before seeing the Wildcats respond with a driving layup as things would get much faster paced with Loggins connecting on shot beyond the arc to put the YellowJackets down just a single-point with 1:04 left.
  • LeTourneau would stand tall on the defensive end and force LC to go one-and-done before a driving Justin Moore would get fouled on a layup and sink both free throw shots to give LETU the lead.
  • With the opportunity to hold for the final shot, Louisiana College would look to hit a go-ahead jumper in the final 10 seconds but see West poke the ball away from Denzel Austin as the ball would eventually end up in the hands of Christian Seidl who would be fouled with 1.5 seconds remaining.
  • Seidl managed to hit both free throws to give LeTourneau a 97-94 lead as a 57-foot desperation three would be missed by the Wildcats at the buzzer.
 
Key Stats:
  • The difference in the game would prove to come at the charity stripe as LeTourneau would connect on 17-of-19 free throws while Louisiana College wouldn't fare quite as well by going 13-for-17 at the line.
  • Both squads would be limited in points off turnovers (13-12 LETU advantage), with the YellowJackets doubling up the Eagles 20-10 in second-chance points.
  • Despite only seeing four total lead changes in the game, the largest lead of the game by either team would come at the 7:53 mark in the first half with LeTourneau up 32-25.
  • Following up his 41-point outing on Thursday, West finished with 38 points and seven assists while Loggins added 21 points and 11 rebounds.
 
What's Next?
The longest remaining road trek of the season takes LeTourneau to Clarksville, Arkansas to square off with a University of the Ozarks team at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 24th. Ozarks is sitting at 4-13 overall and 3-6 in the ASC following an 89-69 home defeat to ASC East Division leading Texas-Dallas on Saturday afternoon.
 
 
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