Box Score

Postgame Interview with Ron Cottrell (video)

Game Highlights (video)

HOUSTON – Freshman forward Dauson Womack sparked Houston Baptist off the bench, posting his third double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds, as the Huskies extended their winning streak to eight with a 65-52 victory over New Orleans in non-conference basketball Monday night at Sharp Gym.
 
Womack went 4-for-7 from the field, 7-of-12 from the free throw line and four of his boards came on the offensive end. Senior forward Art Bernardi scored all 14 of his points in the second half and also grabbed eight rebounds and a pair of blocks for the Huskies (12-14). Freshman guard Rob Lewis only made 2-of-7 from the field, but 8-of-10 from the line, to add 12 points and five rebounds – his fourth-straight game in double figures. Sophomore guard Marcel Smith chipped in with eight points, nailing a pair of threes, and also had four steals and three assists.
 
Rarlensee Nelson went 7-for-14 from the field and 4-for-6 from the line to lead UNO (8-17) with 18 points and four steals, but he also committed eight turnovers. Kevin Hill had nine points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, while Lovell Cook had eight points and three rebounds for the Privateers.
 
HBU shot 38 percent from the field for the game, but only 23 percent (3-for-13) from long range, while holding UNO to 34 percent from the floor and only 10 percent (1-for-10) from behind the arc. The Huskies made 20-of-30 from the free throw line, and the Privateers went 15-for-22. HBU outrebounded UNO, 42-38, and forced them into 21 turnovers, resulting in a 20-10 advantage in points off turnovers.
 
UNO scored the first three points of the game, but HBU went on a 9-0 run with field goals by four different players to lead 9-3 with 13:05 remaining. After taking an 11-6 lead with 11:34 to go, the Huskies were held scoreless for nearly five minutes as the Privateers scored the next six to hold a one-point advantage. Lewis broke the drought with a pair of free throws to put HBU back up by one with 6:40 left, but McPherson put UNO ahead with two free throws of his own.
 
Womack tied the game, 14-14, with a free throw at the 4:36 mark, then made a layup to put the Huskies ahead by two. Nelson tied it again on a 17-footer, but Lewis hit a short pull-up jumper. Dixon answered with a short hook, then Nelson made two free throws to give UNO a 20-18 lead with 2:25 remaining. The Privateers led, 24-19, but Lewis made a pair of free throws and Womack grabbed the rebound off Hill's 3-point attempt, turned around and buried a jumper at the buzzer to cut the Huskies' deficit to 24-23 at the break.
 
HBU shot 27 percent, while UNO shot 36 percent in the half. The Huskies went 0-for-8 from 3-point range, and the Privateers were 0-for-2. HBU made 7-of-12 from the line, and UNO made 8-of-12. The Huskies outrebounded the Privateers, 23-20, in the half. Lewis and Womack had six points each to lead HBU, and Nelson had 10 for UNO.
 
After UNO scored the first basket of the second half to lead by three, Bernardi scored on a layup and Smith drilled a three to reclaim a 28-26 lead for HBU. Nelson answered with a layup to tie, but Bernardi made a steal and took it the distance. Dixon tied it on a layup, but Smith buried another trey to put the Huskies ahead 33-30 with 15:25 remaining.
 
Cook hit two free throws, but Bernardi got inside for a reverse layup. Cook once again cut HBU's lead to one with a jumper with 14:15 left, but that would be the closest they would get the rest of the way as the Huskies scored seven straight on layups by Bernardi and Womack, a dunk by Bernardi on a nice feed from Womack, and a free throw by Lewis to take a 42-34 lead with 9:04 left.
 
Nelson scored four in a row to cut the Privateers' deficit to four. Joyce made a free throw, but Isaac Mack made it a three-point game with a jumper.  Bernardi answered with a baseline jumper, then he blocked a shot on the other end and threw it ahead to Lewis for a layup to give HBU a 49-42 lead with 4:48 left. Mack responded with a 3-pointer, but a pair of free throws by Bernardi restored the lead to six.
 
Bernardi made another block, which led to a pair of Womack free throws. After Kevin Hill answered with a layup for the Privateers, Womack grabbed an offensive rebound on the other end and laid it in for an eight-point Huskies lead. Smith made a steal, Lewis was fouled on the fast break and hit both free throws to put HBU ahead, 58-48 with 1:49 remaining. Hill put the game away with a three with just over one minute remaining, giving the Huskies a 13-point lead.
 
Bernardi has scored in double figures for the 11-straight time. The Huskies' eight-game winning streak is the longest over the last five seasons, since they returned to Division I competition and is the longest since a nine-game streak from Jan. 20-Feb. 19, 2007. HBU swept the home-and-home season series from New Orleans, which will be a Southland Conference opponent beginning next season.
 
The Huskies return to action and Great West Conference play when they travel to face first-place NJIT Saturday at 3 p.m.  CST.