Wildcats undone by LETU’s second half surge

PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana College men’s basketball team took a lead into the halftime locker room, but a big LeTourneau run right out of the break proved to be too much to overcome in the Wildcats’ 89-66 loss to the Yellow Jackets Saturday evening at H.O. West Fieldhouse.

The Wildcats actually had to battle back from three separate ten-point deficits throughout the first half. But, with just more than four minutes remaining in the first half, a Kae’ron Baker mid-range jumper started a half-ending 15-4 run to turn a 35-25 deficit into a 42-41 lead at the break as Denzel Austin got to the rim for a lay-up with 30 seconds left for the final bucket before the buzzer.

However, all the momentum heading into the locker room quickly left in the second half. After trading buckets to open the final 20 minutes, the Yellow Jackets busted the game open with a 21-3 run to pull out to a 17-point advantage and the Wildcats struggled to get shots to fall to help pull that deficit back.

Jr. G Kae’ron Baker led the Wildcats with 17 points as he hit six shots in the contest, including a trio of threes, as well as three assists and three steals, both of which also led the team. Sr. G Denzel Austin chipped in 11 points on five made shots. Jr. G Louis Blakes rounded out the leading scorers with ten points. So. F KJ Bilbo grabbed eight rebounds to lead the team on the glass.

The Wildcats (10-7, 4-4 ASC) look to end the two-game skid on the road Thursday night at Belhaven. Tip-off against the Blazers (7-10, 4-4 ASC) is set for 7:30 P.M. at Charles R. Rugg Arena.