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Tyler Russell's Game-Winning Shot (w/audio)

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HOUSTON – Northwestern State rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to take the lead with 15 seconds left, but HBU junior guard Tyler Russell's putback beat the buzzer as the Huskies knocked off the Demons, 98-97, in Southland Conference basketball Saturday night at Sharp Gym.
 
Junior guard Marcel Smith scored a career-high 21 points for the Huskies (4-12, 1-3 SLC), going 5-for-9 from the field, including 3-for-3 from behind the arc, and 8-for-10 from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Rob Lewis had 20 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Russell went 7-for-11 from the field, 2-for-2 from three to tally 16 points off the bench. Sophomore forward Cody Joyce had 10 points off the bench to score in double figures for a seventh-straight game. Freshman guard Reveal Chukwujekwu had a career-high 11 rebounds to lead HBU, while sophomore forward Dauson Womack had eight.
 
Jalan West led NSU (5-10, 1-3) with 31 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field, 0-for-5 from three, and 9-for-9 from the line, and also had eight assists. Zikiteran Woodley went 11-for-13 and scored 24 points, while DeQuan Hicks had 20 points and led the Demons with eight rebounds.
 
HBU shot 54 percent from the field for the game, including 7-for-11 from long distance, and 21-for-32 from the free throw line. NSU shot 55 percent, but only 1-of-12 from 3-point range, and 22-for-26 at the line. The Huskies outrebounded the Demons, 39-31.
 
In the first half, sophomore guard Caleb Crayton's three-point play at the 17:23 mark put HBU ahead 9-8. Woodley put NSU ahead with a jumper, but the Demons were called for their second delay of game, Smith knocked down both free throws and Lewis buried a three to give the Huskies an 18-14 lead with 15:09 remaining. A three by Washington cut HBU's lead to one, Joseph missed an opportunity for a three-point play that would've tied the game, then freshman guard Jimmy Barton nailed a three to put HBU back up by four with 11:23 left.
 
A jumper by West made it a two-point game, but the Huskies went on a 10-0 run, which included a tip-in by Chukujekwu, a pair of layups from Joyce and a three by Smith to take a 39-27 lead with 7:46 on the clock. Smith hit a three from the corner to give the HBU a 13-point lead, but Hicks made a pair of free throws and Woodley threw down a dunk for NSU. Russell answered with a trey, then junior center Ricmonds Vilde's three-point play gave the Huskies a 52-37 lead with 4:10 left. The Demons scored the last six points of the half as Gary Stewart made a jumper, then Tra'von Joseph and West each made layups.
 
HBU shot 58 percent, 5-for-7 from behind the arc, and 13-for-17 from the free throw line, while NSU shot 55 percent, 1-of-8 from 3-point range and 4-of-7 from the line. The Huskies outrebounded the Demons, 24-13. Smith led HBU with 13 points at the break, and Woodley had 14 for NSU.
 
In the second half, HBU scored six straight on a jumper by Smith, a layup by Lewis and a putback by Joyce to take a 66-51 lead with 16:27 to go, but NSU went on a 10-0 run to cut the Huskies' lead to six with 13:58 remaining. Smith broke free for a layup, then drilled a triple that made the score 74-65 with 11:49 on the clock. A pair of free throws by West, a layup and a pair of free throws by Woodley helped trim HBU's advantage to three, but Lewis made a free throw and a jumper to put the Huskies ahead, 77-71.
 
After the Demons once again got within four, Russell drained a three and freshman forward Colter Lasher sank a pair of free throws to put the Huskies up, 84-75, with 7:40 left. A short jumper by Lasher and a putback by Chukwujekwu pushed HBU's lead to 11 with 5:18 to go, but West made four-straight free throws and a fadeway jumper to make it a five-point game, but Womack sank two free throws to give the Huskies a 96-89 lead with 2:30 remaining.
 
West made another long jumper, Robinson made a layup and Hicks made a layup to make the score 96-95 at the 1:27 mark. After Chukwujekwu missed two free throws, Womack grabbed the offensive rebound, but HBU was called for an offensive foul with 27 ticks left. Hicks gave the Demons the lead with a layup on a dish from West with 15 seconds left, then Russell missed a baseline jumper, got his own rebound and the putback fell through with 0.7 on the clock.
 
The victory is the Huskies first Southland win in their inaugural season in the conference, coming against the league's representative in last season's NCAA Tournament. The 98 points are the most the Huskies have scored in a win over an NCAA Division I opponent since a 101-92 decision against Georgia State on Jan. 19, 1989.
 
The Huskies return to action when they hit the road for a pair of Southland Conference contests, facing Nicholls State Thursday, followed by McNeese State Saturday. The McNeese State game will be broadcast live on ESPN3.