LSUS advances in double overtime March 18, 2005 By David Mitchell
March 18, 2005
LSUS advances in double overtime March 18, 2005 By David Mitchell
shreveportsports@gannett.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- It looked as if LSU-Shreveport's first trip to the NAIA men's basketball tournament would be a short one Thursday when the 10th-seeded Pilots trailed Cumberland (Ky.) 31-22 at halftime, but LSUS rallied for a 79-75 victory in double overtime.
"This is our first trip," said LSUS coach Chad McDowell, "and we are having the time of our lives."
Unseeded Cumberland, which was making its fourth postseason appearance in five years, looked like the more seasoned team when Jacob Elder's 3-pointer gave the Patriots (22-9) a 31-20 lead with 39 seconds left in the first half.
LSUS guard Fredericko Payne, the nation's leading scorer at 25.8 points per game, didn't score until there was one minute left in the half. Payne struggled with a cold and Elder's defense, finishing 4 of 22 from the field, but he made all eight of his free-throw attempts and finished with 16 points.
"Derrick Rogers and Justin Collins carried us," Payne said of the seniors, who combined for 37 points. "They're great players."
The Pilots (27-8) opened the second half with a 10-2 run and later tied it at 35 on a three-point play by Rogers.
"I realized Rico was struggling," said Rogers, who scored four points in an 8-0 run that gave the Pilots a 47-43 lead with 6:08 remaining. "Me being a senior, it was my responsibility to step up and shoulder the load until Rico got back on track."
Cumberland sank two 3-pointers in the final minute of regulation, including a buzzer-beater by Elder that tied it at 57. Elder, who matched teammate Brent Vernon with 19 points, tied it again at 66 with 3.2 seconds left in the first OT.
"That was the most fun we had all year," said Cumberland coach Don Butcher, who saw three of his players foul out. "Not only was the competition high, but the play was high too. This is one that you appreciate when it's done, even when you lose. Our guys showed a lot of character."
LSUS backup center Abraham Saxon, who had 11 points, completed a three-point play with 1:51 left in the second overtime and scored again with 57 seconds left for a 75-72 lead.
Cumberland appeared to tie it up on Elder's 3-pointer with 51.3 seconds left, but Butcher called his final timeout as the guard released the shot. Terico Smothers missed a shot after the timeout, and Payne sank four foul shots in the final 24.8 seconds.
"We knew he'd make his free throws," McDowell said. "That was clutch shooting down the stretch."
Derrick Sowell added 11 points and 11 rebounds for LSUS, which will play John Brown (Ark.), an 84-72 winner over Union, Tenn., at 8 tonight at Municipal Auditorium.
Check out all the pictures of the NAIA national tournament in the PHOTO section under the Men's Basketball tab.
