SFA Opens With Win Over Houston Baptist
11/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 22, 2003
NACOGDOCHES - Senior Antonio Burks scored a game-high 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks to a 98-83 victory in the season-opener over Houston Baptist Saturday night at the William R. Johnson Coliseum.
The Lumberjacks never trailed in the contest racing out to a 14-4 lead within the first four minutes. Junior Leonard Brown increased the advantage to 13-points when he hit a three-pointer to make the score, 25-12, with 13 minutes remaining in the first half. Brown finished the game with eight points on 3-of-5 (.600) shooting. But the Huskies fought right back, going on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to five points, 27-22, with 11:49 remaining in the half.
The Lumberjacks went to work on the offensive glass to stop the Houston Baptist rally, pulling down 14 first-half rebounds. SFA built a 20-point lead sparked by Taylor Moore's 14 points and seven rebounds. SFA held a 59-40 lead heading into the intermission.
The Lumberjacks came out of the break and built their lead to as many as 29 points before the Huskies made one final rally. Houston Baptist outscored SFA 20-8 over the next 7:09 to cut the lead to 16 points, but SFA didn't allow the visiting Huskies to get any closer.
Junior Hank Rivers scored 12 points, while sophomore point guard Marcus Clark added 10 points and dished out six assists. Junior Rodrigo Segantim scored seven points and pulled down seven rebounds in a victorious effort.
The Lumberjacks return to action Tuesday night when they travel to Waco, Texas to take on Baylor. The game against the Bears is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
-SFA-
