Generals drain Central Baptist under shower of threes
Talladega, Ala. – The #6 LSUA men’s basketball team found its rhythm early above the arc and never lost it, hitting a program record 20 shots from deep while connecting on 60.6% of its shots from above the arc in a 94-82 win over the (RV) Central Baptist Mustangs Friday night to open the Fresh Start Talladega College Classic at Talladega College’s Callanan Gymnasium.
| W-L | TEAM | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2-1 | (RV) Central Baptist (Ark.) | 41 | 41 | 82 |
| 3-0 | #6 LSU Alexandria (La.) | 45 | 49 | 94 |
How It Happened:
LSUA’s first seven made shots in the game were all three-pointers, the eighth made bucket being a two by Jaewon Williams that gave the Generals a 23-6 lead, LSUA’s largest lead of the contest less than six minutes into the contest. From there, Central Baptist slowly pulled the lead back, eventually tying the score at 39-39 with less than three minutes left before halftime. The Generals led 45-41 at the break. The start of the second half was back and forth, but then the Generals started to pull away. With CBC leading 59-58, Montrey Thomas, Jr. drained a three-pointer to put the Generals up to stay, kicking off a 16-0 LSUA run that Emanuel Thompson capped with another three to make the score 74-59 Generals with ten minutes remaining. That would be all the separation LSUA needed as the Generals kept the Mustangs away for the rest of the contest.
Coach’s Take:
“We know our team can be deadly from the three-point line,” said LSUA head coach Larry Cordaro. “We got in yesterday and got some shots up and told our guys to shoot with confidence. We do have to do better defensively, though our zone helped out. Now we have a big game tomorrow, playing a national championship contender on their home floor, so we have to be ready.”
Other Key Statistics:
Sr. G/F Emanuel Thompson was nearly perfect for the Generals, hitting all seven shots he took from the field, four of which were threes, and one of two at the free throw line for a team high 19 points. He also grabbed a team high five rebounds.
Jr. G Brandon Ellis started the night hot, scoring LSUA’s first nine points, all from above the arc. He finished the game with 15 points on five of ten shooting, four of eight from three, and dished out a team high eight assists.
Sr. F Chris Vickers hit four of his seven shots from three for 12 points.
Sr. G Anthony Stove, Sr. G Montrey Thomas, Jr., and Sr. G JR Adams each finished with ten points with all three hitting a pair of three-pointers each.
LSUA hit 54.8% (34/63) from the field in the contest, 60.8% (20/33) from above the three-point arc, and 60.0% (6/10) from the free throw line.
Central Baptist hit 48.2% (27/56) from the field, 23.8% (5/21) from deep, and 82.1% (23/28) from the charity stripe.
Next Game:
The #6 Generals (3-0) close out play in the Fresh Start Talladega College Classic on Saturday in second top-10 battle of the early season against the host school, #8 Talladega College. Tip-off against the Tornadoes (5-0) is set for 4:00 P.M. in Callanan Gymnasium.
