MONROE, Louisiana --- Houston Christian University used a 7-0 closing burst over the final 1:40 of the game to capture its first road victory of the season, defeating University of Louisiana-Monroe 74-68 at Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Tuesday night. The Huskies got a career-high 32-point night from senior guard Julian Mackey and hit a season-high 11 three-pointers as a team to pull out the win in the opener of a three-games in six days stretch to finish up the non-conference slate.
 
The Huskies jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes, capped by a driving layup by Julian Mackey. The Warhawks would come right back, using a 10-3 burst of their own to retake the lead, a run ended by consecutive three-pointers from Coltie Young.
 
A triple by Mackey got HCU back up by two, 14-12, but 45 seconds later, Young connected again for ULM, tying the game at 15 with 12 minutes to go in the first half. The teams would trade baskets for four minutes with a pull-up three from Jacob Wilson giving the hosts a 20-19 lead at the 8:50 mark.
 
Demari Williams then ignited a 9-0 run by the Huskies, and Julian Mackey hit his third three of the half, a step-back that bounced on the front iron and in to make the score 24-20.
  Another bucket by Mackey was followed by a breakaway slam by Elijah Brooks to give HCU a 28-20 lead with 5:55 left on the clock. The Warhawks would then respond with a 12-4 burst over the next three minutes, finally tying the score at 32 on a hook by Makai Willis with 2:04 to go in the half. D'Aundre Samuels then nailed a triple on the break off a push ahead from Mackey, giving HCU a 35-32 lead with a buck and half to the break. The Huskies entered the intermission up one, 35-34.
  The second half would start with three straight three-pointers, as Mackey sandwiched two more around one from Dawkins, giving HCU a six-point edge, 44-38, with just two and a half minutes gone. After ULM cut the margin to one, Dawkins answered with an alley-oop slam dunk and then hit another three moments later to give HCU a 52-45 lead with 13:36 left in the contest.
  That lead would shrink to one over the next three minutes. Tyreese Watson had a layup and then a tip-in seconds later, and a pilfer and breakaway dunk from Jalen Bolden pulled the Hawks to within one point, 54-53 with a little over 10 minutes to play. Once again however it was Mackey, nailing a his sixth three-pointer of the night from the corner in front of the HCU bench, pushing the Huskies back up three.
  HCU would find itself once again ahead by six after a pretty reverse from Brooks. ULM wasn't done however, as Watson and Bolden each scored four points as part of a 8-3 burst to close to a one-point disadvantage once again. Makai Willis then knotted things at 64 for the Warhawks, completing a three-point play after an offensive putback with 4:22 to go.
 
A D'Aundre Samuels three in the corner gave the Huskies the lead right back, but Bolden answered again with a layup of his own, putting ULM up 68-67. That would be the final time the ball went through the rim for the Warhawks, as HCU then put together a game-deciding  7-0 run over the final 1:40.
 
The closing kick was highlighted by Trent Johnson, who scored his only five points of the night on a huge three-ball to retake the lead for good at 70-68 at the 1:16 mark, and then a stickback with 37 seconds that pushed the edge to four and sealed the deal on HCU's first road victory of the campaign.
  HCU shot 44% on the evening, going 11-31 from the arc. HCU forced 16 turnovers from ULM, leading to a season-high 14 steals. The Huskies won for the second time in their last three games while playing their seventh straight contest decided by seven points or fewer. The two former Trans America Conference charter members were meeting for the first time in 40 years, with the Huskies running their winning streak in the series to six.
 
Mackey led all scorers with his 32 points, eclipsing his career-high for the third time this season by registering his first career 30-point outing. He went 10-16 from the floor, which included a career-high six triples. He also added six rebounds and was one of four Huskies to record three steals in the game.
 
Elijah Brooks ended with 12 points, three boards and three assists and Bryson Dawkins chipped in 11 points and three steals. Trent Johnson had five points, seven boards and three steals while Peyton Rogers led the Huskies with nine boards, a team-best four assists  amd completed the three-steal quartet.
 
Louisiana-Monroe falls to 4-9 on the season. The Warhawks placed four in double-digits, led by Jalen Bolden's double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. Tyreese Watson chipped in 17 points, six boards and three assists while Cotie Young and Makai Willis added 12 and 11, respectively.
 
HCU improves to 4-7 on the season. The Huskies continue their three-games in six days stretch on Friday, making their shortest road trip of the season when they head to College Station to take on No. 12 ranked Texas A&M. Tip-off for the matinee in Reed Arena is scheduled for 1 pm.
 
The non-conference slate closes with a quick turnaround on Sunday, with another afternoon affair at University of North Texas, the final game before the Christmas break. 
 
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