Stephen F. Austin
7-914-14/ SLC
Lamar
11-618-12/ SLC
'Jacks Battle Lamar to the Final Buzzer in Beaumont
3/2/2019 8:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Bogues pours in game-high 26
BEAUMONT, Texas - After Shannon Bogues capped a 6-0 SFA run with a pull-up jumper that made matters 79-75 in favor of the 'Jacks with 1:35 left, SFA was held scoreless for the rest of the game and was forced to watch as Lamar scored the final six points to lock down an 81-79 Southland Conference victory Saturday night at the Montagne Center.
Shannon Bogues poured in a game-high 26 points for SFA but Davion Buster's seventh and final three-pointer put Lamar in front 80-79 with 34 seconds to go. SFA had two chances to either tie or take the lead in the last 34 seconds, but Bogues was blocked on a driving layup attempt and Kevon Harris turned the ball over with three seconds left to seal the win for Lamar.
FIRST HALF
• Bogues and the Cardinals' Nick Garth swapped three-pointers through the game's first 1:41, putting a 6-6 deadlock on the scoreboard as a result. The 'Jacks broke that tie by scoring five of the next seven to move ahead 13-8. Oddyst Walker finished that 5-2 surge by sinking the first of his two three-pointers in the frame.
• Josh Nzeakor answered with a personal 6-0 run for the Cardinals. That pushed the visitors ahead and the squads swapped leads until Jordan Hunter finished a 5-2 run by the home team with a three-pointer that put Lamar on top 26-22 with 8:12 left.
• Following that three-pointer, Fitzgerald and Harris really went to work for the 'Jacks. That pair poured in all but three points during the 'Jacks' 17-4 run which pushed their lead to 39-30 with 3:34 remaining in the frame. Fitzgerald splashed a pair of three-pointers during the big-time run while Harris and Walker added one apiece.
• During the last 3:42 of the stanza, the Cardinals began the process of cutting into the 'Jacks' lead. Davion Buster helmed a 10-3 run by the home team to end the half by drilling a pair of three-pointers. His last long ball trimmed the 'Jacks' edge to 41-40 with 1:24 to go, but Fitzgerald finished a 13-point half by spinning in for a nifty layup that ensured SFA remained in front by three.
• Buoyed by a blistering shooting split of .517/.583/.750 in the frame, the 'Jacks took a three-point lead (43-40) into the break.
SECOND HALF
• SFA increased its lead to six, 46-40, when Samuli Nieminen splashed a three-pointer to start the scoring in the second half. That was one of two six-point leads the 'Jacks' enjoyed through the final frame, but SFA's lead never went higher than six.
• Edwin Jeudy put the finishing touches on a 14-7 run by the Cardinals with a three-pointer that handed the home team a 54-53 lead with 15:17 to go. ]
• From there, the game turned into a hotly contested battle as neither team moved ahead by more than three points. Things were tied on five occasions down the stretch with Buster providing the third deadlock when he connected on a long ball to make matters 66-all with 5:25 to go.
• Trailing 72-71 with 3:28 to go, Nathan Bain put the 'Jacks ahead by converting a pair of free throws that made matters 73-72.
• Following another long ball by Buster, Fitzgerald started a 6-0 run with a driving layup.
• Bogues finished the scoring spree by hitting a pair of free throw and drilling a contested pull-up jumper that put SFA up 79-75 with 1:35 left.
• Unfortunately, SFA watched Lamar end the game on a 5-0 run. Buster's three-pointer with 34 seconds to go put the Cardinals ahead for good while Garth nailed two free throws and V.J. Holmes hit another.
KEY PERFORMERS/STATISTICS OF NOTE
• In addition to Bogues, three other Lumberjacks finished with 10 or more points. Fitzgerald finished with 18 points while Harris pumped in 16. Walker had a great game off the bench, netting 10 points in SFA's second-straight loss.
• Buster poured in a team-high 21 points for Lamar who won its seventh in a row. Garth added 20 while Nzeakor notched 17 and a game-high nine rebounds.
COMING UP NEXT
• For its final road game of the 2018-19 regular season, the 'Jacks head to Abilene, Texas, for a Tuesday night showdown at Abilene Christian. Tip-off inside Moody Coliseum has been set for 7:00 p.m. and the tilt between the 'Jacks and Wildcats will be streamed nationwide on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.
-SFA-
