For a second consecutive game, McNeese State proved unable to hold on to a halftime lead as defending Southland Conference regular-season champion New Orleans beat the Cowboys 82-75 in overtime on Saturday.
The Privateers (7-8, 4-0 SLC) remained the lone unbeaten team in SLC play as they handed the Cowboys (5-9, 2-2) their first loss in six game in Burton Coliseum this season and their second in a row after a three-game winning streak.
UNO guard Bryson Robinson dominated the game, shooting 10-for-13 from the field and 7-for-8 from behind the 3-point arc for 31 points, as well as eight rebounds and four assists.
“Look at a guy like Bryson Robinson, who had a great night tonight,” said McNeese head coach Dave Simmons. “Looking at the scouting report, that hadn’t been their forte, shooting the basketball from the perimeter. They shot the ball well tonight and that was the difference in the game.”
The Cowboys played a solid first half, shooting 50 percent from the field (12-for-24) and outrebounding the Privateers 20-17.
The second half was another story, however, as UNO came out shooting well and often. The Privateers shot 17-for-32 from the field and 4-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc in the second half to regain control.
UNO erased the Cowboys eight-point halftime lead and used hot shooting and solid rebounding to take a 60-53 lead with 7:24 remaining.
The Privateers outrebounded McNeese 40-30 for the game, which played an important role after halftime.
“Before the game we were confident we could win it,” said Cowboys shooting guard James Harvey. “We had a solid game plan and we followed it most of the game. They went on a big run in the second half. Those last couple minutes we have to find a way to close.”
Harvey finished with 17 points shooting 7-for-11 from the field and 3-for-6 from 3-point range. He put the game in overtime with a circus-like reverse layup that tied the score at 69 apiece with 29 seconds left.
Overtime started in the Cowboys’ favor with Kalob Ledoux converting a layup less than 30 seconds in. But the Cowboys missed their next eight shots, allowing UNO to run away and earn the overtime victory.
Travin Thibodeaux had 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks for UNO. Michael Zeno scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds off the bench.
Jarren Greenwood scored 22 points and grabbed three steals in his second straight performance as the Cowboys’ leading scorer.
“I feel like I’m doing pretty good within our offense right now,” Greenwood said with a hoarse voice after a game in which he said he yelled a lot. “I’ve been taking good, quality shots, and it’s paying off.”
The Cowboys will look to bounce back and shake the losing streak when they hit the road for a game with Nicholls State on Wednesday in Thibodaux.
Simmons said he hopes to get the post back into the fold against the Colonels, as they have struggled to get forwards Quatarrius Wilson and Stephen Ugochukwu involved recently.
“We didn’t as much as I want to get inside against a team like (UNO),” Simmons said. “They’re physical and challenged our shots inside to make it more difficult to get inside.”