NAIA's SUNO upsets NCAA's Northwestern State in overtime
|
Posted By: Eddie Francis on January 05, 2010 Southern University at New Orleans (4-3) pulled an overtime road upset over Northwestern State University (5-8), 95-89 in Prather Coliseum. Ricardo Porter proved to a major factor with a 29-point performance, including eight 3-pointers. Lionel Green, a pre-season All-GCAC selection, also served as a major contributor with 27 points. SUNO is a member of the NAIA's Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, and Northwestern State is a member of the NCAA's Southland Conference. SUNO put on a masterful second half performance in front of Demons fans, shooting 70% after trailing 35-23 at halftime. The Knights' shooting included making 73% from the arc. Having trailed by as many as 14 points, SUNO roared back with spectacular shooting to take the lead 78-76 with 3:40 left in regulation. The Demons tied the game at 81 with 36 seconds left, but SUNO led most of overtime to seal the victory. Northwestern State's Mike McConathy told NSUDemons.com that the Knights played the way he wanted to see his squad play "with tremendous effort and energy, unselfish ball movement, and with great focus." McConathy is in his 11th season as head coach of the Demons. Junior point guard Brent Leduff, a key player for the Knights, returned to action contributing 11 points and 3 steals in 34 minutes of play. Xavier Francis also recorded 3 steals and 10 points while Green and Ronald Palmer each posted 7 rebounds. Northwestern State's Will Pratt led his team with 18 points while William Mosley led with 17 rebounds. Other Demons who scored in double figures were Michael McConathy (15), Devon Baker (13), and Damon Jones (12). SUNO will open GCAC play on the road against HBCU rival Tougaloo College on Thursday, January 7th in Tougaloo, Mississippi (outside of Jackson). Other fellow HBCUs in the GCAC include Dillard University and Xavier University of Louisiana. The Knights are coached by one of the most prolific coaches in GCAC history, Dale Valdery. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
Eddie Francis
Founder & Principal, Edify Ventures, LLC Loyola Univ, New Orleans class of 1995 Member Since October 2008 |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest HBCU Sports
Popular HBCU Sports
