Stephen F. Austin
McNeese State
SFA Demolishes McNeese State, 86-57, in Southland Conference Opener
1/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Stephen F. Austin 86, McNeese State 57
William R. Johnson Coliseum • Nacogdoches, Texas
Records: SFA (8-5, 1-0 SLC), McN (2-9, 0-1 SLC)
Up Next: at Southeastern La. (2-11, 0-0 SLC) • Mon., Jan. 4 • 7:00 p.m. • University Center
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Just about the only thing that didn’t go the way of the Stephen F. Austin men’s basketball team in their 2015-16 Southland Conference opener was the opening tip.
Conversely, it was one of the only things McNeese State won in the walls of the William R. Johnson Coliseum on Saturday night.
Demetrious Floyd led all players with 18 points and Thomas Walkup finished two assists and one point shy of a triple-double as the Lumberjacks dismantled McNeese State 86-57 on the second day of 2016.
Clide Geffrard put forth a 14-point, nine-rebound effort off of the bench and Ty Charles added 11 points and three steals for the ‘Jacks who ran their streak of Southland Conference home wins to 30 games.
Of the 32 field goals drilled by the ‘Jacks, 24 of them were assisted on and no player registered more helpers than Walkup who finished with eight – one short of his career-high and equal to the total number amassed by the Cowboys in the 40-minute tilt. The Pasadena, Texas, product conjured up a season-best 12 rebounds to go along with his nine points and two steals, too.
Saturday night also marked the fifth-straight season in which the ‘Jacks have out-dueled their foe in a Southland Conference opener. The effort displayed by SFA in the rebounding game was exemplary, too, as they grabbed 22 more caroms (47-25) than the Cowboys. That also translates to the largest single-game rebounding edge of the season for the ‘Jacks.
Putting its orderly ball movement on full display, the ‘Jacks bounded out to a 10-2 run over its first 5:01 of 2015-16 Southland Conference basketball. Ty Charles and Jared Johnson each connected on a long-range ball in the home squad’s opening salvo.
McNeese countered with an 8-0 surge that culminated with a Tevin Jackson fast-break score to produce the only tie of the game. Thirty seconds after the 10-10 deadlock occurred, Demetrious Floyd broke the tie for good by burying his first of four three-pointers. That particular deep ball served as the initial volley of a 16-6 SFA scoring burst over the ensuing 4:20.
Walkup gave the home team its first double-digit lead (26-16) in Southland Conference play this season when his layup with 5:51 remaining in the opening frame fell through the ‘Jacks basket.
Defense and ball movement continued to be hallmarks of the team that owns the nation’s best turnover margin (+7.9) as SFA’s advantage ballooned to 36-22 before the first half was in the books. The ‘Jacks assisted on 10 of their 12 first-half field goals and forced 10 McNeese State turnovers.
It took just 5:14 into the final 20 minutes of action for the ‘Jacks to effectively put the game on ice. Floyd scored 10 of his game-high 18 during a 19-6 surge by the hosts, which increased their lead to 55-28.
A Nathan Bain three-pointer – the first of his collegiate career – with 2:20 remaining pushed SFA’s lead to 84-52. That 32-point advantage was the ‘Jacks largest of the game and grew to that substantial margin thanks in large part to a 20-for-33 (60.6-percent) shooting effort in the final half.
Jamaya Burr led the Cowboys with 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists – all of which represented team highs.
On Monday night, the ‘Jacks will travel to Hammond, La., to take part in their second SLC duel of 2016 when they tangle with Southeastern Louisiana. Tip-off between SFA and SELA is scheduled to take place at 7:00 p.m.
