Pilots advance to GCAC Championship with 85-60 win over Crusaders
March 04, 2006
Shreveport, LA---The LSUS Pilots played host to the William Carey College Crusaders Saturday night at The Dock in Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament semi-finals. The Pilots jumped out to a 41-23 lead at the half, and went on to win by a final score of 85-60 to advance to their first GCAC Tournament Championship.
The No. 1 ranked LSUS offense used their defense in the first half to create a 41-23 lead at the break. The Pilots connected on just 15-of-42 shots in the half, but won the battle of the boards by a final margin of 24-13, which included 17 on the offensive end. LSUS forced 17 turnovers while committing just five.
Josh Porter struggled through a 3-of-12 shooting performance, but finished with 11 points and a team high seven rebounds. Despite being in foul trouble early, Jeremy Johnston collected 12 points, while teammate Greg Tyer added six points off the bench.
WCC’s All-Conference forward Renaldo Dorsey led the Crusader offense with seven points, while teammates Alex Eberle and Braxton Robins added five points a piece.
The second half proved to be much of the same as the Pilots went on to use 12 different scorers and won the rebounding battle 45-33 en route to an 85-60 victory.
Porter finished with a team high 19 points and a team high eight rebounds while Johnston ended with 16 points and five boards. Fredericko Payne added 12 second half points after being held scoreless in the first half.
For the Crusaders, Dorsey finished with a team high 19 points and five rebounds while Robins finished with 12 points and five boards.
Saturday’s victory lifted the Pilots to 27-3 overall on the year which ties the LSUS single season victory record, and put them in unchartered territory; the GCAC Championship.
The Pilots will play host to conference rival Spring Hill College Badgers Tuesday night at The Dock in the GCAC final. The two teams split the season series with LSUS dropping a double-overtime decision on the road, but responded with a 20 point victory when the Badgers came to The Dock. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00pm.
