ALEXANDRIA, LA – The Louisiana State University of Alexandria men's basketball team became back-to-back Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Champions with an 88-79 victory over the University of the Southwest (N.M.) in the Final.
 
LSU Alexandria not only won their second consecutive RRAC Tournament Championship, but were also crowned Regular Season Champions for the second straight year in February.
 
 
 
Kashie Natt recorded a season-high 36 points, finishing 15-for-24 from the field for the Generals (28-2, 22-2).
 
A tightly contested first half saw a pair of lead changes in the first 10 minutes. The Mustangs (17-13, 12-12 RRAC) led by as much as 14 in the first half. Trailing 39-25 with four-and-a-half minutes left in the opening period, the Generals went to work chipping away at the deficit.
 
"Not the way we wanted to start, for sure," LSUA Head Coach Dimario Jackson said. "Southwest is a good team. Coach Voight is one of the better coaches in the league. He does a great job with their program. As a team, they are very well-rounded."
 
EJ McQuillan knocked down a pair of free throws and Jordan Decuir followed with a layup in the paint. After a layup from USW, Natt knocked down a jumper. Decuir followed by converting twice at the charity stripe to narrow the gap to single digits. Two possessions later, Decuir was back at the line and knocked down two more free throws. Natt drove the lane for a layup with 42 seconds on the clock and was fouled on the way to the hoop. He converted the three-point play to make it 41-38 in favor of the Mustangs.
 
As the buzzer cried out to signal the end of the first half, McQuillan drained a three to send the game into the halftime break tied at 41-41.
 
"We knew at some point we'd get going offensively," Jackson added. "It was just a matter of getting stops. Shoutout to our players for being able to handle that adjustment."
 
The Generals' run continued at the start of the second. Two free throws from McQuillan and a layup from Natt gave LSUA their first lead since midway through the first. A layup from Pouncy made it 47-41. The Mustangs' first bucket of the second half came just over two-and-a-half minutes in. LSUA's seven-minute run amassed a 22-2 differential.
 
Another run from the Generals, this time 10-1, gave LSUA a 57-44 advantage seven minutes into the back half. Over the next five minutes, Southwest chipped away to bring the score within one, 64-63.
 
The game remained close for the final minutes but the Generals answered each and every call to keep ahead on the scoreboard. Each time the Mustangs moved within a one-possession score, the Generals responded.
 
Xavier Smith knocked down a key three to up the Generals lead from one to four, 67-63, with 7:38 to play. Pouncy and Natt traded points with the Mustangs to keep LSUA ahead. Decuir knocked down a three with 3:14 left in regulation, extending LSUA's lead to five.
 
With under 2:30 left, a layup from Natt and free throws from Kaleb Pouncy started to give the Generals breathing room, 80-74, as LSUA claimed the Tournament Championship.
 
Pouncy finished with 16 points off the bench. Decuir tallied 17, also coming off the bench.
 
The Generals now await their opponent in the NAIA Men's Basketball Championship First Round. LSUA has already been announced as the host site for the First and Second Round.