POSTGAME INTERVIEW
LONGVIEW -- The YellowJackets didn't disappoint in their home debut.
LeTourneau University men's basketball team beat Centenary, 99-83, Tuesday night in Solheim Arena on a night
Nate West tied an American Southwest Conference record, the Blue Crew was rockin' and the new LETU Pep Band made a dazzling debut.
"I loved our team's focus from the start of the game, focus out of the locker room at halftime," Jackets coach
Dan Miller said after his team improved to 5-1.
West finished with 24 points, a career-high 13 assists and matched a career-best 12 rebounds for his third career triple-double, which is tied for the most in ASC history.
"It's fun to get a triple-double, but basically I just wanted to win the game, do what I can to help the team win," West said.
He went 4 of 10 from three-point range and 6-for-6 from the line. It was the fifth time this season he's scored in double figures, and second time in as many games he's topped 20 points.
"Honestly, he contributed in so many other ways than just scoring," Miller said. "The hustle plays, he got on the floor tonight. I think his defense is so much improved. He's a complete player, and he demonstrates night in and night out why he's an All-American and one of the best players in all of the nation. I'm really proud of him."
The YellowJackets never trailed in a game they outrebounded the Gents, 53-36. Five LETU players scored in double figures.
Warren Richardson had 13 points, seven boards, two blocks and two steals.
Brick Fosnight had 11 points and five rebounds,
John Argue 11 points, and
Justin Moore 11 points and three steals.
LeTourneau raced out to a 58-33 halftime lead, shooting 49 percent from the floor. The Jackets were 8 of 16 from long distance in the first half. Richardson knocked down a jumper with 5:55 to play in the first half to spot LETU a 21-point lead.
Garrett Beene drilled back-to-back triples to extend the lead to 49-24. Beene went 3 of 7 from the 3-point line.
"Garrett's playing style, he's a really good shooter, so I just try to find him as much as I can," West said. "I saw him hit a few shots, and you just keep on feeding the hot man."
The Gents shot 51.5 percent in the second half, trimming at one point what had mushroomed into a 34-point LeTourneau lead when West canned a triple at the 13:40 mark in the second half, down to 11 with 2:37 remaining. But LETU was able to put it away.
Beene finished with nine points.
Andrew Eberhardt had eight points and two steals.
Korrin Taylor had six points, seven rebounds, a block and a steal.
Rashard Johnson pulled down six boards. Ty Prince finished with 26 points on 8 of 15 shooting, and Cedric Harris had 19 points and five rebounds for the Gents.
"To Centenary's credit, they did some good things down the stretch to make the game a little bit closer," Miller said. "We got out of rhythm a little bit, but we finished the game, and I'm proud of the team."
LETU, which heads on the road for its next five games, beginning with a Dec. 16 date at Austin College, made a season-high 36 field goals. The 99 points, 13 triples, 23 assists and 53 boards also are the most this year. Add it all up, and it was the perfect ingredients to drum up some noise.
"You can feel the energy in Solheim when there's a lot of people here," West said. "Whenever you make a shot, you want to make another shot even more because it's going to get real loud."
Indeed, Solheim was buzzing on this night.
