Follow @HBUBasketball

HOUSTON – HBU held the lead for nearly the entire game but a late charge by Southeastern Louisiana made things interesting as the Huskies handed the Lions their first conference loss of the season, 81-74, in Sharp Gym on Thursday night.
 
Senior Colter Lasher led HBU (6-7, 2-1 SLC) with 22 points on 8-14 shooting, including 2-5 from beyond the arc, along with six rebounds and three assists. Josh Ibarra added 16 points and eight boards, connecting on 7-9 shooting while Atif Russell matched a career-best with eight rebounds. Braxton Bonds added 11 for the Huskies and Alex Fountain pitched in with 10.
 
For Southeastern Louisiana (9-7, 2-1 SLC), Moses Greenwood led the way with 22 points off the bench, knocking down 8-9 from the floor and 6-6 from the charity stripe. James Currington posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Davon Hayes added 11 for the Lions.
 
The game was close in the early-going, with Southeastern taking its only lead of the game less than five minutes in on a Hayes layup and ensuing free throw that made the score 9-8. The Huskies responded with 13-4 run capped by a made layup and free throw by Will Gates Jr., putting HBU ahead 21-13.The Husky lead dropped as low as four in the first half but HBU took a 41-32 lead into the intermission.
 
The Lions cut the lead to five in the opening minutes of the second stanza and kept themselves within striking distance, pulling the score to 53-48 with 8:12 remaining. Lasher answered with a three to push the lead back to eight and HBU extended the Lions' deficit to a game-high 12 with just 4:14 left on the clock after a Gates Jr. layup and a pair of free throws from Reveal Chukwujekwu after a technical foul called on Hayes. Trailing by nine with just 1:12 to go, an Eddy Polanco three followed by an HBU turnover on an inbound play and an ensuing Greenwood layup made it a four-point game with 41 seconds left. The Huskies put an end to the late threat, knocking down 7-8 from the free throw line in the final 32 seconds to keep the game out of reach.
 
HBU was 45.8 percent (27-59) from the floor in the win and knocked down 23-28 from the free throw line while holding the Lions to just 37.7 percent (26-69) for the game. Both teams were solid from the free throw line, with the Huskies making 23 of 28 attempts and Southeastern connecting on 19 of 22 tries. The Lions held a 41-36 advantage on the boards, including 24 rebounds on the offensive end that led to 29 second chance points.
 
The Huskies remain at home for their next game, hosting the McNeese Cowboys in Sharp Gym at 7:00 p.m.