Stephen F. Austin
20-5, 9-3SLC
Northwestern State
3-21, 0-13SLC
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Bogues Delivers Dazzling Offensive Performance as 'Jacks Destroy Northwestern State, 97-50
2/10/2018 9:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bogues becomes first SFA player since 2016 to go for 35 or more points
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - There is no question that each and every one of the Stephen F. Austin men's basketball players who took part in last season's home game against longtime Louisiana adversary Northwestern State remembered exactly what the Demons did in that game.
Not only did Northwestern State become just the third team since 2012-13 to defeat the 'Jacks inside William R. Johnson Coliseum, they handed the 'Jacks a loss that cost them at least a share of the 2017 Southland Conference title.
Saturday night, SFA got its revenge.
Leading the charge by unleashing a virtuosic offense performance which yielded a career-high 35 points, Shannon Bogues outscored the Demons by himself in the first half (24-21) and played a large part in helping the 'Jacks wipe out Northwestern State, 97-50.
Bogues' saucy shooting began with an 8-of-8 showing in the first half which included a perfect 6-of-6 performance from downtown. In all, Bogues finished 13-of-17 (76.5-percent) from the field, a microcosm of the 'Jacks' team efficiency on offense. The final numbers indicated that the hosts shot a season-best 66.7-percent (34-of-51) while dishing out 18 assists.
"If you take away a six-minute stretch in Lake Charles Thursday night, this is possibly the best 80 minutes of offense this team has put out there this season," smiled SFA head coach Kyle Keller, who led the 'Jacks to their most lopsided victory over the Demons in the 129-game series.
"Shannon has been shooting the ball well lately, but what really pleased me tonight is the way we shared the ball and took pride in watching everyone excel," Keller continued. "Ivan [Canete] was so selfless tonight to finish with six assists. He's one of our best shooters and his behavior was indicative of that way our team's has been over the last week."
Canete's six assists were a game-high - and 60-percent of Northwestern State's final tally. Only TJ Holyfield (13) and Kevon Harris (10), who made his return to the starting lineup after missing nearly three full games to injury in late January and early February, were the only other players to post double-digit point totals for the 'Jacks.
Even though the final score did not indicate it, the 'Jacks had to bust out of an early offensive funk against their foul-prone counterparts from Natchitoches. Northwestern State owned the distinction of scoring the game's first points as Iziahiah Sweeney connected on a driving layup before the hosts claimed the lead for the rest of the way shortly thereafter.
Gilmore III and Holyfield each converted layups - two of four the 'Jacks would put in through the first 10 minutes of the opening frame - that handed the hosts a 5-2 lead, but Northwestern State managed to keep things close thanks partly to the 'Jacks' poor aim at the foul line early on.
SFA's free throw shooting left much to be desired through the opening stages of the game as the hosts failed to convert many of the opportunities from there despite the Demons racking up eight fouls in the first 9:23. The 'Jacks connected on only 6-of-13 tries from the foul line through that opening span, which allowed Northwestern State to stay within striking distance.
Larry Ownes' layup with 12:29 left in the first half trimmed the 'Jacks' lead to 11-10, but SFA began its evisceration of the Demons in full following that score by taking off on a 17-4 run over a span of 5:34.
Bogues hit a jumper as well as a pair of his three-pointers during that surge which upped the 'Jacks lead to 28-14. Never again would that advantage dip below double-digits as Bogues shredded the Demons' ineffective defense by raining down threes from all angles through the rest of the frame.
The junior's final triple of the half danced around every corner of the 'Jacks' rim before falling through and sending the crowd into hysterics. After that friendly roll, SFA's lead stood at 44-21 with 1:43 to go in the frame, making most of the second half mostly perfunctory.
Never relenting on the offensive end of the floor, the 'Jacks lead ballooned to an absurd 51 points on three separate occasions throughout the final 20 minutes of action. The last of those came when Ty Charles splashed a mid-range jumper with 5:10 left.
The only Northwestern State player to reach double-digits was Lane who finished with 10 points. With the setback, the Demons have now lost 15-straight games - the nation's third-longest losing streak.
A week-long road trip is staring the 'Jacks in the face as SFA will head south for a pair of Southland Conference tilts. The first of those road games is set to take place in Corpus Christi, Texas, against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m.
-SFA-
