PINEVILLE, LA. – The HPU men's basketball team came back from being down 20 points to beat Louisiana College in both teams' American Southwest Conference opener Saturday afternoon. Howard Payne (2-1, 1-0) had four scorers in double-figures, led by Sr. G Matt Zinser(Burnet HS) with 21.
In the first half, LC shot 65.4 percent from the floor, including 63.6 percent from three-point range. LC's hot shooting led to as much as a 20-point lead in the first half. HPU was able to cut the lead to 11 by halftime. In the second half, Howard Payne quickly closed the gap and took their first lead, 53-52, on a Zinser three with 14:10 left in regulation. The rest of the game was a seesaw battle that saw three lead changes and neither team opening up more than a five-point advantage.
With only six seconds left, LC gained possession of the ball and had a chance to win the game, but Morey Skluzacek, who was LC's leading scorer with 23 points, missed a shot that rattled in and out at the buzzer.
Newspaper Box Score
Howard Payne vs Louisiana College
11-26-05 3:00 at Pineville, LA, H.O. West Fieldhouse
At Pineville, LA, H.O. West Fieldhouse
HOWARD PAYNE 72, LOUISIANA COLLEGE 71
HOWARD PAYNE (2-1, 1-0)
Matt Zinser 7-11 2-4 21; Cliff McGuire 7-9 1-1 15; Kendrick Johnson 4-10 1-3
10; Jamarcus Johnson 5-11 0-4 10; Sean Wheeler 4-12 1-2 9; Josh Weatherred
1-2 0-0 3; Victor Hayes 1-4 0-2 2; Eldrick Spivey 1-3 0-1 2; Kyle Daughtry
0-1 0-0 0; Travis Dawson 0-0 0-0 0; Lee Scott 0-1 0-0 0; Andrew Baker 0-2
0-0 0; Tom Hermann 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 30-68 5-17 72.
LOUISIANA COLLEGE (0-2, 0-1)
Morey Skluzacek 9-14 0-0 23; Casey Meador 5-13 1-4 14; Kase Gonzales 3-4 1-3
9; Josh Martin 3-5 0-0 8; Robert Yangeh 3-9 2-5 8; Josh Johnson 3-5 0-1 6;
Cody Wyatt 1-3 0-0 2; Tim Van 0-0 1-2 1; Daniel Greenhouse 0-0 0-0 0; Codie
Steele 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 27-54 5-15 71.
Howard Payne.................. 32 40 - 72
Louisiana College............. 43 28 - 71
3-point goals-Howard Payne 7-18 (
Matt Zinser 5-8; Kendrick Johnson 1-2; Josh
Weatherred 1-2; Victor Hayes 0-1; Eldrick Spivey 0-1; Andrew Baker 0-1;
Jamarcus Johnson 0-3), Louisiana College 12-24 (Morey Skluzacek 5-6; Casey
Meador 3-10; Josh Martin 2-3; Kase Gonzales 2-3; Josh Johnson 0-2). Fouled
out--Howard Payne-None, Louisiana College-None. Rebounds-Howard Payne 38
(Cliff McGuire 11), Louisiana College 30 (Robert Yangeh 11). Assists-Howard
Payne 11 (Jamarcus Johnson 4), Louisiana College 12 (Kase Gonzales 3; Casey
Meador 3). Total fouls-Howard Payne 20, Louisiana College 16. A-586
