WAXAHACHIE, TX – The No. 13 Louisiana State University of Alexandria men's basketball team fell in their season opener to Texas Wesleyan in overtime, 82-81.
 
EJ McQuillan recorded 41 points, tying the LSUA (0-1) men's basketball single game record for points. The record was set by JR Adams on February 13, 2020 against Huston-Tillotson. McQuillan went 11-for-20 from the field, including a 5-for-8 mark from beyond the arc, and knocked 14 of his 15 free throws.
 
PD McCraney finished with 16 points and six rebounds. Terrence Marco hauled in a team-high 11 rebounds on the evening, six of which came off the offensive glass. LSUA shot 16-for-29 from long range and 27-for-72 overall. They converted 17 of 21 free throws. The Generals were out rebounded by the Rams (1-0) 43-39.
 
LSUA held a 16-13 edge in second-chance points. The lead changed hands 21 times over the course of the game. The contest all saw the scored tied 15 times.
 
"We didn't play defense," LSUA Head Coach Dimario Jackson said. "We were not tough. We were not disciplined. We didn't play LSUA's brand of basketball. And that's the result we get when we don't. We will get this fixed."
 
McQuillan's points were spread fairly evenly throughout regulation. The junior tallied 17 in the first half and 20 in the second. He then went 4-for-4 at the free throw line in overtime.
 
In the first half, the Generals led by 12 with 7:16 left in the period. A 14-0 run by the Rams put them ahead 29-27. Jayce Tolivar broke the scoreless run with a layup, tying the game at 29-29 with 2:21 left in the half.
 
After trading buckets, a three from Talib Ferrette put LSUA ahead 34-33 heading into the locker room at halftime.
 
Through the first eight minutes of the second stanza, Texas Wesleyan staked out a seven-point 53-46 lead. The Generals chipped away, erasing the deficit and taking a 60-59 lead with 6:03 remaining. A three from McCraney and four free throws from McQuillan pushed the LSUA lead to six, 67-61, with 4:38 left to play.
 
A seven-point run by Texas Wesleyan flipped the lead back in favor of the Rams, 68-67, with just 95 seconds remaining. Two free throws and a layup from McQuillan gave the Generals a three-point edge but it was erased by a free throw from Matt Nero and a dunk by Daniel Oravbiere, sending the game into overtime.
 
The overtime period was back and forth as well. Four free throws from McQuillan and Norman Beckford countered a pair of baskets from the Rams. A three from Texas Wesleyan's Daylan Hamilton put the Rams ahead 77-75 until McQuillan knocked down two more at the charity stripe.
 
After a dunk from Hamilton, McCraney converted two baskets to put the Generals ahead 81-79 with 1:37 on the clock.
 
In the Rams' final possession Hamilton drained a three with one second left in the period for an 82-81 lead.
 
The Generals are back in action tomorrow, November 1, as they take on No. 17 Nelson University at 6:00 PM.