PINEVILLE, LOUISIANA – Louisiana College freshman forward Morey Skluzacek had all the answers against the LeTourneau University men’s basketball team in Thursday’s American Southwest Conference East Division battle. Skluzacek went 8-of-9 from the field and had a game-high 23 points in the Wildcats (6-7, 5-6) 81-75 victory.
The YellowJackets (3-9, 2-7) and Wildcats went back and forth throughout the entire first half. Neither team had larger than a three point lead and there were five ties. Louisiana went into the half with a 38-35 lead. In the second half, LC continued to widen the margin and did not let the ‘Jackets get any closer than four points the entire half.
Junior Travis Bankett led LETU with 19 points and five rebounds. Seniors Julius McClaskey and Jeremiah Bastian were the only other players to score in double figures. Freshman point guard Jonathan Collins added nine points, five assists, three steals and just two turnovers.
“We played pretty well, but Louisiana College shot the ball extremely well and made their free throws,” said LETU head coach Bernie Balikian. “Jonathan Collins played a great floor game and the whole team took excellent care of the ball.”
The YellowJackets committed a season low seven turnovers, but it was not enough to overcome the 8-of-9 shooting by Skluzacek, which included 5-of-6 from three-point range. Overall, the Wildcats shot 57.7 percent from the floor and made 9-of-18 three-pointers. All five starters in the Wildcat lineup scored in double figures. Kase Gonzales iced the game at the foul line by making 6-of-7 free throws down the stretch and the Wildcats went 12-of-13 for the game.
LeTourneau made 12 three-pointers in the game and continues to lead the conference in three-pointers made per game. The YellowJackets travel to Mississippi College on Saturday afternoon for an ASC-East Division tilt beginning at 3 o’clock. The game can be heard online at www.tsrnsports.com.
LETM vs Louisiana College Men 01-13-05 7:40 at Pineville, LA At Pineville, LA LOUISIANA COLLEGE MEN 81, LETM 75 LETM (3-9, 2-7) Travis Bankett 8-14 1-3 19; Julius McClaskey 4-13 1-2 11; Jeremiah Bastian 3-7 2-2 10; Daniel McGraner 3-6 0-0 9; Jonathan Collins 4-10 1-2 9; Joseph Solomon 2-5 0-0 6; Ashton Torbert 2-4 0-0 4; Tim Butler 2-2 0-1 4; Joseph Richards 1-3 0-0 3; Brandon Morris 0-3 0-0 0; Ryan Curtis 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-68 5-10 75. LOUISIANA COLLEGE MEN (6-7, 5-6) Morey Skluzacek 8-9 2-2 23; T.J. Drew 6-10 4-4 16; Chris Campbell 5-9 0-0 11; Kase Gonzales 2-5 6-7 10; Casey Meador 4-8 0-0 10; Casey Wallace 2-5 0-0 5; Cody Wyatt 1-1 0-0 2; Codie Steele 1-2 0-0 2; Robert Yangeh 1-1 0-0 2; Josh Martin 0-1 0-0 0; Cody Ladner 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 30-52 12-13 81. LETM.......................... 35 40 - 75 Louisiana College Men......... 38 43 - 81 3-point goals-LETM 12-32 (Daniel McGraner 3-5; Joseph Solomon 2-3; Travis Bankett 2-4; Julius McClaskey 2-8; Jeremiah Bastian 2-5; Joseph Richards 1-3; Brandon Morris 0-1; Jonathan Collins 0-3), Louisiana College Men 9-18 (Morey Skluzacek 5-6; Casey Meador 2-4; Chris Campbell 1-1; Casey Wallace 1-3; Codie Steele 0-1; Cody Ladner 0-1; Kase Gonzales 0-2). Fouled out--LETM-Jeremiah Bastian, Louisiana College Men-None. Rebounds-LETM 24 (Travis Bankett 5), Louisiana College Men 27 (T.J. Drew 7). Assists-LETM 15 (Jonathan Collins 5), Louisiana College Men 13 (Chris Campbell 5). Total fouls-LETM 17, Louisiana College Men 10. A-850