NAIA
[Men's Basketball] #4 Drovers Knock Down 17 Three-Pointers to Advance to Round of 32
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Friday evening, the No. 4 seed University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (26-6, 19-3 SAC) opened play at the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship – Opening Round with an impressive 103-84 victory against No. 13 seed the Louisiana State University-Alexandria (20-7, 10-4 RRAC). The Drovers never trailed and led by as many as 27 as they advanced to the round of 32 on Saturday.Science & Arts and LSUA have met four times, with the Drovers earning victories in three of the four contests, which includes each of the the last three meetings. In the last showdown, USAO was triumphant at "The Fort" and defeated the Generals early in the 2019-20 season. It was just the fourth home loss in program history for LSUA, which had been around for more than five years at that point in time.On Friday, the Drovers got off to a good start in the opening minutes, holding a 9-6 lead with 15 minutes remaining in the half. Midway through the half, the score was tied at 19-19, but Science & Arts closed the half strong and took a 47-37 lead into halftime. In the first half, the Drovers were very efficient on offense, shooting 18-35 (.514) from the field and 7-15 (.467) from three-point range.The Drover offense stayed red-hot following the break, jumping out to a 63-51 lead five minutes into the second half. With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, USAO comfortably held a 76-60 lead, thanks to more sharp-shooting from beyond the arc. The Drovers led by as many as 27 points with 3:46 remaining in regulation, but the Generals were able to cut into the deficit in the final minutes before the buzzer.As a team, the Drovers fell two three-pointers shy of tying the NAIA tournament record, knocking down 17 shots from deep on 33 attempts (.515). Additionally, Science & Arts shot 39-79 (.494) from the field, and they won the rebounding battle by a margin of 44-36. USAO owned the painted area, outscoring LSUA down low 34-26. The Generals committed 10 turnovers, while the Drovers fumbled the ball only six times. In the 103-point offensive outburst, the Drovers eclipsed the century mark for the sixth time this season, and they are averaging 92.3 points per game over their last 16 contests. Science & Arts owns a 5-1 record when they tally 100 points or more this season.Cameron Hines (SR/Ft. Cobb, OK) was spectacular in the win, tallying 23 points on 7-13 shooting from the field, including 7-11 from beyond the arc. Additionally, Hines provided five rebounds, an assist, and a steal.Logan Dolan (FR/Broken Arrow, OK) delivered his best performance of his collegiate career, scoring 15 points on 5-7 shooting from deep. Elvin Rodriguez (SR/New York, NY) followed closely behind with 13 points, along with four rebounds and five assists.Stephon Hall (SR/Oklahoma City, OK) concluded with 12 points, five rebounds, and six assists, while Rory Pantophlet (JR/Philipsburg, Sint Maarten) contributed 10 points, seven rebounds, and a pair of blocked shots.Gerard Makuntae (SR/Austell, GA) did it all, recording nine points, six rebounds, seven assists, and a steal. Tre'veon Ellis (SR/Oklahoma City, OK) provided a huge spark off the bench, producing eight points, 10 rebounds, and four assists in only 19 minutes of action. Jaden Causwell (JR/Johns Creek, GA) scored seven points off the bench, followed by Jaden Harrell (FR/Oklahoma City, OK) with four, and Rudy Pittman (FR/Tulsa, OK) with two. WHAT'S NEXT?With the win, the Drovers advance to the Round of 32, where they will face No. 5 seed LSU-Shreveport on Saturday, March 12 at 5:30 PM. Earlier this season on November 22, the Drovers defeated LSUS by a score of 92-78 in the Battle of the Beach tournament in Panama City, Fla. Additionally, it'll mark the fifth time the Drovers and Pilots have met, with each team having won a pair of the previous four contests. Stay up to date on all Science & Arts Athletics news by following us on our media platforms!Athletics Website: www.usaoathletics.comLive-stream: www.sacsportsnetwork.com/usao/YouTube: Drover AthleticsTwitter: @DroverAthleticsFacebook: @DroverAthleticsInstagram: @drover_athleticsGIPHY: www.giphy.com/USAODrovers