HOUSTON --- Houston Christian University dropped a Saturday slugfest in Sharp Gymnasium, falling in overtime 74-71 to Southeastern Louisiana University. Playing their first home game in 23 days, the Huskies battled back from down eight with eight to play to force the extra period, but late heroics in the final seconds helped the Lions outlast the hosts.
 
The Lions raced out of the gates with a 12-4 run that was finished off by an Ethan Pickett three and a layup by Jeremy Elyzee. SLU still led by eight with 13:34 to go on a Jalen Forrest layup, but the Huskies would kick up the defense, holding the visitors to just one point over the next five minutes to claw back into things.
 
A dunk by Ahjany Lee got the run started and Kylin Green would score five points before hitting Demari Williams for a short jumper in the paint giving the Huskies their first lead of the contest, 21-19 with 9:08 remaining in the half.
 
The two teams would go back-and-forth for the next four minutes or so before a conventional three-point play by Elyzee put SLU up by five with just over four minutes remaining in the half. Trent Johnson would then answer with consecutive three-pointers off dimes from D'Aundre Samuels, who then hit two free throws to knot things at 32. An Elijah Brooks layup with 31 seconds to go tied things up again and send the two teams to the intermission at 36-apiece.
 
Southeastern came out strong to start the second session, scoring the first seven points. A tip-in by Elyzee made the score 45-38, but the Huskies retaliated with a 7-0 burst of their own, capped by an and-one by Elijah Brooks to square things at 45 with just under 15 to go.
 
Tied at 49, the Lions again made a push. A three-pointer from Peter Menschemeier with 7:56 to go gave the Lions their largest lead of the night at eight, 60-52 but the Huskies weren't about to go quietly. Another strong defensive stretch saw HCU limit SLU to just three points over another five-minute span, and another three from Trent Johnson tied things up at 63 with 2:55 to go in regulation.
 
The defensive effort continued for the remainder, as neither team was willing to concede an inch. A layup by Isaiah Gaines and then a split of two free throws from Gaines put the visitors up three with 1:02 to go. The Huskies got possession late after a missed free throw by the Lions and again it was Johnson, burying a three-ball from the corner in front of the HCU bench to equalize and send the teams to an extra period.
 
HCU would take the first lead in overtime on a Demarco Bethea layup, but a dunk by Isaiah Gaines and a free throw by Elezee pushed the Lions back out in front 71-68 with 1:33 to go. Trent Johnson would connect on his fifth triple of the night with 56 seconds to play to make it a 71-71 game, but Hemschemeier would come up with the final big shot of the night, a leaning jumper just outside the lane that gave the visitors the lead for good with 27 seconds remaining.
 
Johnson matched his career-highs of 17 points and five three-pointers while Elijah Brooks added 17 points as well as four steals for the Huskies. Ryan Bartley, Demarco Bethea and Kylin Green each had eight points, with Green adding game-highs of nine rebounds and 10 assists.
 
Jeremy Elyzee had 17 points to lead a quartet of double-digit scorers for SLU (4-6 / 1-1 SLC), and the 2024-25 SLC Freshman of the Year also pulled down a team high seven boards. Hemschemeier hit four three-pointers and the game-winning bucket to finish with 14 to go with six caroms and four pilfers. Gaines and CJ Booker each added a dozen points for the Lions.
 
HCU falls even overall and in conference play at 5-5 and 1-1. A short turnaround sees the Huskies back in Sharp Gym on Monday night as they host the two-time defending Southland champs in McNeese. Tip-off is slated for 7 pm.
 
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