HCU vs. New Orleans
Houston Christian University looks to continue the momentum from a huge Saturday home win as it finishes off a two-game homestand by hosting the University of New Orleans at Sharp Gym Monday night.
HCU is coming off a thrilling, last-second victory over Lamar in
The Darius Lee Memorial Classic in which
Marcus Greene knocked down two three-pointers in the last 36 seconds. The second of those, coming with 1.9 seconds remaining, gave the Huskies the lead for good in a game that saw 20 lead changes.
The largest lead of the game was just five, that coming on Dominc Capriotti's three pointer that gave HCU a 14-9 lead with 13:34 to go in the first half. The Huskies took a 35-34 lead into the break, and the two teams would continue the roller-coaster in the second frame with neither team giving an inch. Lamar led by three on two separate occasions late, and took a 74-72 lead before Greene knocked down his first three of the game with 36 seconds left to give the hosts a one-point lead.
That lead wouldn't last long, as on the very next possession, Cody Pennebaker canned a three on the wing in front of the visitors bench to make the score 77-75. After a failed attempt at tying the score and a jump ball that went to the Huskies, the final play saw Greene take a handoff from
Michael Imariagbe at the top of the key before dribbling into a side-step rainbow three that graced nothing but nylon to give HCU the win.
Greene would finish with 22 points, saving his only two triples of the night for the final minute. Capriotti drained a career-best five three-pointers for 15 points, and
Jay Alvarez chipped in 14. Imariagbe notched his sixth double-double of the season (13 points, 11 rebounds) to round out the quartet of double-digit scorers.
Bonke Maring had nine points, nine caroms and three dimes as well.
Alvarez continues to lead the Huskies, scoring 16.8 points per night, a number that has gone up to 20 per in conference play thus far through five games. Greene averages 13 per in conference play to go along with 3.4 rebounds and a team-best 3.8 assists.
The duo of Maring and Imariagbe continue their strong play inside. The pair are combining for 22 points and 17 rebounds per night in the paint and on the backboards. Maring adds two assists and two steals per game, while Imariagbe is getting 1.3 blocks per game on the season.
HCU is now 4-12 overall and 2-3 in the league, with four of its five Southland Conference games being decided by five points or less. The Huskies are now in a deadlock with UNO, who fell to 7-11 overall and 2-3 in the league after Saturday's 92-67 home loss to Northwestern State, its second straight defeat.
The Privateers hold a 16-5 edge in the all-time series. The two teams split the home and home series last year, with UNO winning the rubber game in the opener of the SLC Tournament in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
UNO is led by two-time SLC Player of the Week Jordan Johnson, who was also selected as the National Player of the Week last week. The 6'1 senior guard from Memphis, Tennessee is averaging just under 22 points per game on the season, 24 in SLC play, while also dishing out four assists per game.
Right behind Johnson are 6'9 senior post Tyson Jackson at 11 points and 5.6 rebounds in SLC action, and Mason Jones, a 6'5 transfer wing from Rice who is averaging 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
The Huskies will hit the road this Saturday, traveling down I-10 to face the University of the Incarnate Word. Tip-off at the McDermontt Convocation Center is scheduled for 5 pm as the back-end of a doubleheader with the women.
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