SAN ANTONIO — The No. 5-ranked LSUA men’s basketball team held off Texas A&M-San Antonio, 74-71, Thursday night with Kashie Natt’s late basket helping secure the Generals’ sixth consecutive victory.
Natt scored 19 for the Generals (12-1, 9-1 RRAC) and hauled in a team-high 11 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. His jump shot with 12 seconds remaining expanded a one-point lead, and the hosts missed a bid to tie.
Jakemin Abney and EJ McQuillan both tallied 12 points and McQuillan tallied a team-high four steals.
LSUA opened the game on an 8-0 run with a pair of threes from Natt and Abney, as well as a tip-in from Natt. The Generals reached their largest lead of the game at 30-13.
The Generals’ lead hovered near 10 points until a 10-0 run from the Jaguars brought the game level, 69-69, with 1:20 to go.
A free throw from McQuillan and jumper from Natt put the Generals ahead 72-69, then Natt scored again to rebuild the three-point edge.
A&M-SAN ANTONIO 76, LSUA WOMEN 69: Thirty turnovers cratered LSUA’s bid for a road win.
Amani Gray, Jewel Jones and Benedetta Percchi led the Generals (10-4, 7-3 RRAC) with 15 points each and Dannah Martin-Hartwick recorded 14. Gray led the Purple and Gold with nine rebounds.
Despite shooting 50 percent from the floor in the first quarter, LSUA trailed 15-13. The Generals shot even better in the second quarter, knocking down 59 percent of their shots, but turnovers were problematic as LSUA went into halftime down 37-34.
The Jaguars extended their advantage to as many as 16 after halftime. A 13-2 run down the stretch put LSUA in position to survive. A jumper from Gray, a three from Jones, and a pair of free throws from Gray brought the Generals within two, 68-66, with 1:48 to play.
After back-to-back baskets from TAMUSA, a three-point play from Peracchi brought the Generals within one possession again, 72-69. The Jaguars tacked on four free throws, sealing the 76-69 victory.
LSUA plays another RRAC doubleheader Saturday in the Alamo City against Our Lady of the Lake with the women’s game starting the action at 1 o’clock.