Stephen F. Austin
Northwestern State
SFA Holds Off Demons
2/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 16, 2008
NATCHITOCHES, La. - Stephen F. Austin opened with its best first-half shooting percentage of the season and held off a late charge by Northwestern State to collect a 67-59 road win Saturday.
With the win, SFA improves to 21-3 overall and a Southland Conference West Division-leading 9-2 record in league play. Northwestern falls to 11-14 on the year and 7-4 in conference action.
Junior forward Josh Alexander went 5-for-10 on 3-pointers to finish with a game-high 21 points after a blistering first half. Senior guard Gerald Fonzie was just as deadly from the perimeter, knocking down 4-for-7 to score 16 points.
Junior center Matt Kingsley joined them in double figures by scoring nine of his 17 points in the second half to help stymie the Demons' run.
After shooting below 40 percent in the first half, Northwestern State opened the second frame by hitting five of its first seven shots. The Demons cut what had been an 11-point halftime lead to six on a jumper by leading scorer Trey Gilder at the 13:22 mark. Gilder scored 12 of his team-leading 14 points in the second frame, pacing a 44-percent effort by the Demons.
But SFA got timely 3-pointers from Alexander and Fonzie and some strong play down low from Kingsley to hold off the charge. The Lumberjacks also improved their rebounding in the second half, beating the Demons, 22-14, on the boards after halftime. Northwestern State held a 17-15 edge in the first half, including a 9-3 advantage in offensive rebounds.
SFA tied a season-high by hitting 60 percent from the floor in the first half. In the process, the Lumberjacks scored their second-most first-half points of the year and took a 41-30 lead to the locker room.
SFA opened the first half on a hot streak, hitting nine of its first 10 baskets of the game. Fonzie and Alexander led the way in the opening frame, combining to go 6-for-9 from 3-point range to score 13 first-half points apiece. The Lumberjacks' 66.7-percent effort from downtown is their best showing of the season in first halves with at least three attempts from 3-point range.
Junior forward Nick Shaw scored five points and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. Junior center Benson Akpan joined Shaw with five points, and senior forward Scott Weaver finished with three. Fonzie and sophomore point guard Eric Bell posted five assists each.
SFA shot 49 percent for the game and outrebounded the Demons, 37-31, overall, outscoring them, 11-9, in second-chance points.
The Lumberjacks will be back in action Thursday when they host SLC West Division rival Sam Houston State. The game is set for a 7 p.m. start and will be broadcast regionally on Fox Sports Net-Southwest.
SFA Athletics will offer several special promotions in conjunction with the game. Lumberjack Alley will be open on a first-come, first-served basis, starting at 4 p.m. All fans who wear purple will be admitted to the game for free. The student organization Show For Dough prize, usually $200 for the student group with the best attendance, will be doubled to $400. Giveaways at the door will include thundersticks and T-shirts, and the Dallas Mavericks' Mavs Man will give a high-flying halftime performance.
-- SFA --
