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HOUSTON – The HBU men's basketball team shook off a sluggish first half and got hot late, taking advantage of 55 percent shooting in the second half and blocked shots on four consecutive McNeese possessions as the game neared its end to secure a 60-49 win at Sharp Gym on Saturday night.
 
The game started with the two teams trading shots and leads with the Cowboys (5-10, 2-2 SLC) taking an 8-6 lead on a pair of Stephen Ugochukwu free throws less than six minutes in to the game. A pair of Colter Lasher free throws tied is up and two minutes later a Jalen Weber three made it 13-8 in favor of the Huskies (7-7, 3-1 SLC). HBU maintained the lead the rest of the half but failed to extend that lead beyond five and held a 26-24 advantage at the intermission.
 
McNeese quickly tied the game at 26 a piece on an Ugochukwu layup to start the second half but the Huskies again gained a five-point lead when a Josh Ibarra layup brought the score to 39-34 with 13:05 to go. McNeese, however, followed with a seven-point swing capped by a Kalob Ledoux three-pointer for a 41-39 lead, the Cowboys' first since the 14:43 mark in the first half.
 
HBU trailed 45-43 with 6:53 to play after a LaBarrius Hill layup but consecutive buckets from Ibarra and Braxton Bonds put HBU ahead by two with 5:17 on the clock. During the next four Cowboy possessions, Reveal Chukwujekwu blocked a pair of shots while Ibarra and Lasher also collected blocked shots, all of which were rebounded by HBU and turned into baskets on two ensuing possessions and a six-point Husky lead. The Cowboys got a pair of free throws from Ugochukwu with just over two minutes remaining to pull McNeese within 51-47but the Huskies out-scored McNeese 9-2 to close things out.
 
Ibarra led all players with a season-best 18 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the year. The big man was 8-13 from the floor and also blocked three shots, tying his season-high. Lasher added 17 for the Huskies, connecting on 7-12 shooting, and had a game-high three assists. The senior came up two points shy of reaching 1,000 for his career.
 
The Huskies shot 40.3 percent (25-62) on the night, including 55.6 percent (15-27) in the second half after hitting just 10-35 in the first period. McNeese finished the game 18-59 (30.5 percent) from the floor. HBU enjoyed a 45-37 advantage on the boards and committed just nine turnovers, the team's lowest total in conference play so far.
 
Jamaya Burr was the Cowboys' top scorer with 11 points while Jarren Greenwood added nine of the bench. Lance Potier pulled down eight boards and Ugochukwu had eight points and five rebounds.
 
HBU closes out its current three-game homestand on Thursday night in Sharp Gym when the Huskies host Central Arkansas at 8:00 p.m. That game will be broadcast live on the American Sports Network.