NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana --- Houston Christian University blew open a tie game early in the second half and cruised to a Southland Conference opening 85-76 victory over New Orleans on Saturday evening at Lakefront Arena. A methodical run over a seven-minute span pushed HCU in front by double-figures as the Huskies exploded for a season-high 49 points in the second frame and never looked back.
 
The two teams traded buckets for the better part of the first four minutes, with Demarco Bethea scoring six of the Huskies first eight points. Elijah Brooks would hit two free throws out of that first media break to give HCU an early 10-6 advantage, as the Huskies forced three turnovers and held the Privateers scoreless during a three-minute 8-0 run.
 
A Coleton Benson layup broke the drought for UNO, but buckets by Ryan Bartley and Kylin Green pushed the HCU lead out to six, 14-8 with 12:53 to play. After New Orleans cut the lead to two, Elijah Brooks connected on a floater in the lane for an 18-14 lead as the first session passed the halfway point.
 
Benson would score on a backdoor layup but Brooks answered with a strong move to the bucket and kiss off the glass. As the half trickled under eight minutes, the two teams were still separated by just three points at 21-18. MJ Thomas scored on a bulldozer move in the paint to cut the lead to one again, but Demari Williams scored consecutive layups to put HCU back up five, 25-20 with 6:38 to go.
 
UNO would then put together a run. After a pair of free throws by Kylin Green put HCU up five again, Coleton Benson scored seven points in a 10-0 run over the next two minutes, giving the Privateers a 32-27 lead. A putback dunk by Bethea stopped the surge but a three-ball by Panagiotis Pagonis gave UNO its largest lead of the half at six, 35-29 with 2:39 to go.
 
Those would be the last Privateer first-half points as the Huskies took advantage of a solid defensive stretch with a touchdown of their own. Green and Brooks would each convert offensive putbacks and D'Aundre Samuels capped things by banking in a three-ball from the corner with 29 ticks to play, giving HCU a 36-35 lead they would they would carry to the break.
 
An alley-oop dunk by Tavaj Cope and two free throws by Enzo Boudouma gave the Privateers a 39-38 lead right out of intermission but Ryan Bartley answered with a three. Jakevion Buckley came right back with four straight points, but it was Bartley connecting again from long range to push HCU up by two.
 
Tied at 44, the Huskies made their move, once again combining defense with offense. HCU limited the Privateers to just one point over the next three-plus minutes and Nehikhare Igiehon scored four points during that 10-1 spurt that gave the Huskies their largest lead to that point, 54-45 with 12:58 to go in the second session.
 
A couple of possessions later the Huskies earned three offensive rebounds on the same trip before Elijah Brooks cashed in the extra opportunities with a soft jumper in the lane and HCU led by a dozen as the run reached 16-4.
 
A three-pointer by Mambourou Mara at the eight-minute mark pushed the lead to 13 but Mathok Majok converted a conventional three-point play just out of the media that began an 8-0 run, cutting the deficit to five. Elijah Brooks then converted on a massive jackhammer to push the lead back to seven, and Bethea would make three of four free throws over the next minute as the Huskies reclaimed their double-digit margin heading into the final media.
 
HCU would extend the lead to 14 on a three-ball by Brooks with 1:02 to go. The Privateers would hit three three-pointers in the final minute to cut the lead under double-digits, but it was too little too late.
 
The Huskies matched their season-high for points in a contest, aided by big night at the free-throw line hitting 23-30 for 77%. HCU shot 48% from the floor for the night, but it was the 49-point outburst on a 52/50/75 shooting split in the second half that was the difference. The Huskies went 5-10 from deep and 18-24 in the decisive second frame, extending a one-point halftime lead to as many as 17 in cruising to the conference-opening road victory.
 
HCU had 21 helpers on 28 made shots in the game and also committed just five turnovers in the contest, the second straight game with five or less.
 
New Orleans shot 48% on the night but was outscored 42-30 in the paint and 24-19 off the pine.
 
A quintet of Huskies made their way into double-figure scoring. Elijah Brooks led the way with 18 points to go with seven boards and five assists, while Ryan Bartley completed his strong road stretch with a season-high 16 points, 14 coming in the second half.
 
Demarco Bethea had 12 points and a game-high nine caroms, while Kylin Green and Demari Williams each had 11 points. Green added five boards and led all players with nine assists.
 
UNO (2-7 | 0-1 SLC) was led by Coleton Benson's game-high 26 points. MJ Thomas was the only other Privateers in double-figures with 16 and a team-best seven on the backboards.
 
Houston Christian University improves to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in the Southland, winning their conference opener for the second straight year and third in the last four.
 
After five straight games and 23 days away from home, the Huskies will finally return to Sharp Gym next Saturday when they host Southeastern Louisiana in Southland action. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 pm.
 
#DawgsUp