Box Score
Belton, TX— The Hardin-Simmons University men's basketball team outshot a red-hot Louisiana College team in the first half and then held off a furious rally in the second half as the Cowboys held on for a 110-100 victory over the Wildcats in the first round of the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament. HSU improves to 20-6 on the season with the victory. The loss ends LC's season at 10-14 overall.
The Cowboys used George Nelson's three-point play to take the lead into double figures just five minutes into the game. LC chipped away and closed to within 36-31 with 8:10 left in the first half but Hardin-Simmons stretched the lead back to 63-49 at halftime. The Cowboys shot 64 percent in the first half and went 7-13 from three-point range. LC almost matched the Cowboys, hitting 56 percent from the field and going 7-14 from beyond the arc. HSU kept up its hot shooting in the second half, building the lead to as many as 24 points. The Wildcats stormed back in the final minutes and cut the lead to seven points on a Jelani Mitchell free-throw with 1:50 remaining. Matt Addison answered by converting a three-point play at the other end and HSU never looked back.
Matt Addison led five players in double figures for HSU with 32 points and he added eight assists. Derrick Jefferson had 18 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, John Derr chipped in 18 off the bench, Terrance Booker scored 15 and George Nelson added 13 points for the Cowboys. HSU shot 57 percent for the game and went 11-24 from long-range. The Cowboys also out rebounded LC 40-32 in the game.
Korey Salmon topped the Wildcats with 29 points and he hit 12-19 from the field. Danny Sumner poured in 21 points off the bench, Mitchell scored 16 and Doc Welch added 14 for LC. The Wildcats shot 51 percent from the field and went 15-32 from three-point range.
The Cowboys will now advance to face U.T.-Dallas in a 2:00 PM semifinal game tomorrow. HSU moves into the semis for the third time in the last five seasons. The Wildcats were making just their second appearance in the ASC Tournament.
