Pilots take down SAGU
January 16, 2012
SHREVEPORT, La. - The LSU Shreveport Pilots made 20 second-half free throws on the way to a 83-69 win over the SAGU Lions in Red River Athletic Conference play on Thursday night at The Dock on the eve of the spring semester.LSUS (9-6, 7-3 RRAC) had to fight hard to maintain a double-digit lead in the second half as the young and pesky Lions would not go away. SAGU (12-4, 6-4 RRAC) started a handful of youth giving the nod to three freshmen and two sophomores. The Pilots managed to keep the lead in their favor for most of the night as the lead got as much as 17 which came earlier in the contest.
The Pilots cooled off slightly from downtown in the second half with no need to shoot from that far with the lead they had as they only made one of five after a four of seven performance in the first half. Their shooting percentage took a hit in the second half as they made just 40% from the field to finish at 57% for the game.
The home team finished with five shooters topping the double-digit mark with Greg Shyne leading the way with 23 while Derrick Parker tossed in 14. Aubin Young and Isiah Bazile each had a dozen points while Mark Politte finished with 10. Bazile led the team with six assists.
The charity stripe was a busy place at The Dock as the Pilots converted on 70% of their attempts making 24 of 34 with four players making all of their attempts and one missing just one. Bazile led the way with six while Shyne converted on five and Cody Walker had four.
Turnovers did not play a factor in the game as each team turned the ball over 15 times while the Pilots won the rebounding battle 33-27 with Parker gabbing nine and Bazile six.
The Lions stayed in the game in the second half thanks to 10 offensive rebounds as they shot just 36% from the field. They finished with just three in double figures as Dominique Rambo nailed 16 points while Craig Grigsby had 13. Christian Wood-Dvorak had 10.
LSUS had one of their better halves of shooting this season in the first half of play making 70% from the field including four big three pointers; two from Shyne and one each from Greene and Politte. The Pilots held as big as 17-point lead with 4:12 to play in the half only to have it dwindled down to six by the visitors at the sound of the horn as the Lions nailed five three's in the last minutes of the first half to make a game of it as they shot 57% from the floor.
The next game for the Pilots will be Saturday, Jan. 20, at The Dock against Paul Quinn at 7:00 p.m.
