Lawson’s 30, Kennedy’s triple-double leads McNeese to 82-73 win over UMKC

LAKE CHARLES – A.J. Lawson scored 24 of his 30 points in the second half and Sha’Markus Kennedy recorded his first career triple-double behind 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots as McNeese rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat Kansas City 82-73 here Tuesday night.

The win was the second straight for the Cowboys (4-6), and the first Division I win of the season, as they remain perfect at home, now at 4-0 on the year. Kansas City, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, dropped to 5-6.

“I thought our kids showed a lot of resiliency, a lot of heart and guts,” said head coach Heath Schroyer. “I give them a lot of credit (KC). Coach (Billy) Donlon does a great job. They were prepared. They came out and punched us in the mouth and made things hard.”

Kennedy’s triple-double is just the fourth such milestone in school history and the first since the 2008-09 season (John Pichon). Kennedy’s 10 blocked shots also matched the single-game school record that’s held by the great Edmond Lawrence.

The Cowboys struggled early, turning the ball over in their first two possessions and 12 times overall in the opening stanza.

The Roos took the nation’s top three-point shooter in Dru Kuxhausen, out of the game for most of the night so the Cowboys adjusted to more of an inside, pounding game with Kennedy and Lawson.

McNeese trailed 41-32 at the half after KC’s Jahshire Hardnett sank a half court shot at the buzzer.

The second half was a new game for the Cowboys.

“We came out and had a defensive mindset and presence which let us to get out and do what we do best and that’s score the ball,” said Schroyer.

A Trey Johnson layup to start the half then a Kuxhausen 3 just a minute later pulled McNeese to within 43-37. After that, McNeese began to chip away by getting to the free throw line and started a run that equaled to an 18-3 streak over the next six minutes.

Kennedy and Lawson combined to score 13 of those 18 points with 11 coming off the hands of Lawson who was able to penetrate the lane and the Roos’ defense.

After building a 55-48 lead due to the run, KC worked its way back after a three-pointer and a couple of twos to tie the game at 59-59 with 7:21 to play.

McNeese responded with an 8-0 run with all eight points coming from Lawson and six of those at the free throw line as McNeese led 67-59 with 4:57 to play.

The Cowboys took their largest lead with 3:57 remaining following a Roydell Brown layup that made it a 72-61 score.

Kansas City battled back and cut the lead to 73-68 after a Rob Whitfield three-pointer with 2:53 to play but Kennedy came back with an emphatic dunk which was followed by a Lawson three-pointer to put the Cowboys up by double-digits at 78-68 with 1:28 to play.

Kennedy added another slam 30 seconds later to close out the Cowboys’ scoring.

McNeese shot a season-high 64.3 percent from the floor (27 of 42) and hit 50 percent of its three-point shots while attempting a season-low eight shots from behind the arc.

“We talk about this all the time,” said Schroyer. “Whatever play presents itself, just make that play. By them not sitting from the corner and helping, allowed A.J. to turn the corner. They stayed home with Dru and it opened up the lane a lot for A.J. to attack the basket.”

McNeese scored 46 of its points in the paint and was an astounding 23 of 31 inside the lane on the night.

The Roos were led in scoring by Hardnett’s 16 points as he scored 14 of those in the first half. Marvin Nesbitt Jr. added 14 and Javan White scored 10. KC connected on 42.1 percent from the field (24 for 57) and as 8 of 21 from three-point range for 38 percent.

McNeese will next be in action on Dec. 18 when it hosts Paul Quinn in the final non-conference game before starting Southland Conference play at home on Dec. 21 against Stephen F. Austin.

POSTGAME NOTABLES:
• A.J. Lawson’s 30 points is the first time a McNeese player scored 30 in a game this season and the first since Sha’Markus Kennedy scored 30 vs. Campbellsville-Harrodsburg last Dec. 30.
• It’s Lawson’s second career 30-point game. At North Texas, he scored 31 points against Rice in his freshman season.
• The team’s 64.3 percent shooting from the field is the highest percentage this season while the 12 blocked shots is also a season-high.
• Kennedy had six dunks in the game with five of those coming in the second half.
• Kennedy’s 10th block to give him the triple-double, came with 1:15 to play in the game as all 10 of his blocks happed in the second half.
• Dru Kuxhausen hit 2 of 3 from three-point range, improving his season percentage to 51.2 percent (42 for 82).