Stephen F. Austin
Mcneese State
`Jacks Smother McNeese
1/31/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2010
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Stephen F. Austin used a big first-half run to build a comfortable lead, then leaned on the second-half scoring of Jereal Scott and Eddie Williams Sunday to take a 70-55 win over McNeese State in the Lake Charles Civic Center.
The win moves SFA to 15-5 on the year and 5-2 in Southland Conference play, keeping the Lumberjacks in control of the SLC East Division. McNeese State falls to 7-13 overall with a 2-4 record against league competition.
SFA used a 12-0 run in the middle of the first half to turn a three-point Cowboy lead into a double-digit Lumberjack advantage. By the time McNeese broke its seven-minute scoring drought, SFA had a 21-11 margin, and the `Jacks never looked back.
The `Jacks held McNeese to 25 percent shooting in the first half, and had a 28-17 lead at the break. The Cowboys' 17 first-half points are the fewest recorded by an SFA opponent this season and just the second first-half total of the season of fewer than 20.
Scott scored 14 of his game-high 18 points in the second period after playing just eight minutes in the first half due to foul trouble. Williams finished just behind him with 17, 11 of them coming after halftime, when SFA led by as many as 18 points.
McNeese upped its shooting to 52 percent in the second period and cut the margin as close as five points (41-36) with 11:12 to play. But Scott and Williams combined to score the next 10 points for SFA, and the `Jacks had a 13-point lead by the 7:06 mark. The Cowboys would not trim the lead to single digits again.
Junior forward Jordan Glynn scored 10 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the year. Eight of his 12 boards came at the offensive end, and SFA outrebounded the Cowboys, 35-30, for the game.
Senior Walt Harris finished with nine points, and classmate Eric Bell had four points and five assists without committing a turnover.
Freshman center Will Reinke came off the bench for six first-half points but had his action limited by foul trouble and did not score in the second frame. He finished with six rebounds and two blocked shots, his seventh multi-block performance of the season.
Patrick Richard scored 15 points to lead the Cowboys, and C.J. Collins added 12.
For the game, McNeese shot just 39 percent and was 2-of-9 from 3-point range. SFA finished at 47 percent from the field.
The Lumberjacks will be back in action Wednesday, when they host Nicholls in a 7 p.m. contest at Johnson Coliseum.
-- SFA --
