It wasn’t easy but the No. 2-ranked LSUA men’s basketball team punched their ticket to Kansas City and the NAIA Final Site with a pair of homecourt wins, 77-65 Saturday evening over Nelson after surviving an upset bid Friday night and stopping Stillman 83-76.
The Generals (30-2) play 14th-ranked Bethel (24-8) of Indiana Friday at 5 p.m. in Kansas City, Mo., at the fabled Municipal Auditorium, site of the NAIA national tournament for decades. Two wins advance LSUA into the Final Four and four wins will get them home with the national championship.
Saturday night, the Generals eliminated Nelson’s Lions (24-9) with four double-digit scoring efforts from Kashie Natt (21), Jaso Perry II (15), Jakemin Abney (12) and Kaleb Pouncy (10).
LSUA collected 15 offensive rebounds and held NU to just six. The difference in offensive boards led to an 18-6 advantage for the Generals in second chance points in an otherwise even game statistically.
At the halftime break, the Generals led 42-33. The margin expanded to 52-38 but Nelson made a push within 61-55 before LSUA scored six straight and maintained control afterward.
The Generals, top-seeded in the NAIA’s Liston Quadrant, struggled Friday night to put away 16-seeded Stillman College.
LSUA had a 14-point second-half lead erased by the Tigers (18-12), who climbed ahead 72-69.
Back-to-back threes by Jordan Decuir and Perry swung momentum back towards the Generals. They outscored Stillman 11-4 in the final 3:35.
BENEDICTINE (KAN.) 80, LSUA WOMEN 41: The Generals’ women’s basketball season was ended by Benedictine in the NAIA’s first round at McKenzie, Tenn.
Justice Young led LSUA (23-9) with 16 points. Benedictine (25-7) led 21-10 after the first quarter and established command afterward.