Pilots outlast Southwest in Double Overtime
January 12, 2013
HOBBS, N. M. - The LSU Shreveport Pilots outscored the Southwest Mustangs 12-7 in double overtime for a 116-111 victory on Saturday night at the Maddox Student Life Center in Red River Athletic Conference play. The Pilots have now won four games in a row and eight of their last nine.
LSUS (11-3, 7-2 RRAC) move into a tie with Texas College for second place in the conference race after a night where the Pilots shot 45-percent for the game. LSUS nailed eight of 18 attempts from the three-point line in the first half and led by two at the break but could only manage one more make from downtown the rest of the way.
Brandon Davis and Mark Politte each turned in double-doubles. Davis notched 30 points, one shy of his season high of 31 that he set against HTU, while Politte 18 points. Davis and Politte tied for the team high of 13 boards a piece on a night where USW's Kendall Smith-Rodriguez had the game's high of 14 rebounds.
Despite being under the weather, Rodney Milum still managed to toss in 22 points for the Pilots as he nailed five of 13 attempts as the once NAIA's leading scorer, now second, is starting to get back on track after just a three-point performance in the Pilot's last game against Jarvis last Thursday night at The Dock.
The Pilots had three to finish with nine points each: Aaron Jones, who hit the only three pointer made by the Pilots after the first half which tied the game midway through the second half, Jake Greene and Tevin Hall while Breion Beaver had eight points.
USW (4-10, 1-9 RRAC) showed just how competitive the RRAC is on any given night as they hung tight with the Pilots until the very end as they shot 46-percent for the game. The Pilots defense should earn the credit on a night where they forced 23 Mustang turnovers as the Pilots offense converted into 20 points.
The home team had three scorers finish with 20 or more points as Michael Russell had 23, Jonathan Williams 22, and Curtis Thompson, Jr. 21. Smith-Rodriguez had a dozen and Clarence Rivas 11.
The Pilots will take on the Texas Wesleyan Rams on Monday night in Fort Worth, Texas, at 7:30 p.m. The Rams have some momentum as well after defeating Wiley 80-73 tonight.
