ALEXANDRIA, LA – The Louisiana State University of Alexandria men's basketball team punched their ticket to Kansas City and the NAIA Final Site with a 77-65 victory over eight-seeded Nelson University.
 
"Really good job by our guys," LSUA Head Coach Dimario Jackson said. "Nelson is a good team, they're balanced. Coach Deal does a good job, he's one of the better coaches in the country in my opinion. They run some good sets and they defend. Great job by our guys to withstand the punches and be able to dictate the tempo and pace of the game."
 
The Generals (30-2) bested the Lions (24-9) with four double-digit scoring efforts from Kashie Natt (2!), Jason Perry II (15), Jakemin Abney (12), and Kaleb Pouncy (10). The Purple and Gold trailed only once, 3-2, after a three-point play in the second minute of the contest.
 
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. The 18 second chance points made up 23% of the Generals' scoring.

"At this time of the year, it's about doing what it takes to win," Jackson added. "You can't be stubborn or prideful, you just do what it takes to win the game."
 
The largest unanswered run of the game was 7-0 for LSUA. It came in the first three minutes of play. Pouncy converted a layup before Perry II drained a three. Natt closed the run with a jumper for a 9-3 lead. From then on, the Generals controlled play.
 
At the halftime break, the Generals led 42-33.
 
A three from Natt two-and-a-half minutes into the second half extended LSUA's lead to 14, 52-38, their largest lead of the game with 17:26 left to play.
 
Nelson chipped away over the next 10 minutes, narrowing the gap to six, 61-55.
 
A 6-0 run from the Generals doubled the lead to 12. The run consisted of layups from Natt and Pouncy with two free throws from Jordan Decuir. The run drained 2:20 from the clock as the Generals worked the shot clock and extended their possessions.
 
"It's about taking possessions away from Nelson," Jackson said. "They don't need a lot of time to start seeing the ball go into the rim. They had 10 threes in the first half yesterday. Sometimes it can break your momentum, but I trust our players. Every challenge Coach Dwayne or Coach Alissa or myself have thrown at them, they answer."
 
Leading by 10, 69-59, with 2:58 remaining, EJ McQuillan drained a three to put the Generals ahead by 13 and stifle any momentum the Lions hoped to gain.
 
The Generals now head to Kansas City, Missouri and face Bethel (Ind.) in the Round of 16.