Stephen F. Austin
McNeese State
SFA Wins White-Knuckler Over Cowboys
1/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Newcomers Ty Charles and Demetrious Floyd shined in their first league game, fueling the Stephen F. Austin men's basketball team to an 80-75 victory over McNeese State on Saturday afternoon inside Burton Coliseum to open Southland Conference play.
Both Charles and Floyd recorded 13 points, as the Lumberjacks (11-3, 1-0 SLC) tied their season-high with 12-made 3-pointers against McN (6-6, 0-1 SLC). In his first career start, Charles finished 4-of-9 from the field with a 3-pointer and four makes from the free throw line, while Floyd sunk 5-of-11 from the floor with three coming from deep.
SFA placed four in double figures in all, as juniors Thomas Walkup and Clide Geffrard netted 12 and 11 points, respectfully.
The `Jacks (26-of-52) and Pokes (27-of-54) each shot 50 percent for the game. SFA also shot 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from outside and 76.2 percent (16-of-21) from the charity stripe.
The `Jacks opened on a 9-2 run and led by as much as 10 points at 31-21, before McN made it interesting. Over the next 6:17, the Pokes outscored SFA 14-6 to cut it to 37-35, but Floyd hit a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left to head into the lockerroom up by five points.
SFA started quickly in the second half, opening on an 8-2 run to take its largest lead of the game at 11 points (48-37) with 17:22 to play.
The lead for the `Jacks never dipped below five points until McN's Desharick Guidry, who finished with 12 points, hit a pair of free throws to make it 56-53. Senior Connor Brooks hit a 3-pointer on SFA's next possession, but then Cowboy Shaun Johnson came off the bench and hit a back-to-back shots from deep and Keelan Garrett, who recorded a career-best 26 points, followed with a free throw to give McN its first lead of the game at 60-59 with 8:12 remaining.
Both teams traded points until junior Trey Pinkney hit his second 3-pointer of the game to give the `Jacks a 64-62 advantage. The second made deep ball from Pinkney, who recorded a season-high eight assists, marked the first multi-three game of his career.
Johnson proved to be the equalizer two more times for the Cowboys, hitting his third and fourth shot from beyond the arc to tie it 68-68 (3:44) and 73-73 (1:03), before Charles hit one of his own from the corner to give SFA a three-point edge with 38 seconds remaining.
The `Jacks outscored McN 4-2 down the stretch, getting four free throws from Pinkney and Charles to take the 80-75 final.
A winner of all 19 conference games so far under head coach Brad Underwood, SFA hosts Southeastern Louisiana on Monday, Jan. 5, in an 8 p.m. tip inside William R. Johnson Coliseum.
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