KANSAS CITY, MO – It took overtime but the Louisiana State University of Alexandria men's basketball team advanced to the Round of Eight with an 83-78 win over four-seeded Bethel (Ind.).
 
Three Generals (31-2) finished in double digits. Kashie Natt led the way with 28 points. EJ McQuillan recorded 26, while Brayden Thompson chipped in10.
 
The game featured 19 lead changes and 12 ties.
 
"That's just how tournament games go," LSUA Head Coach Dimario Jackson said. "They start off with a lead, one way or the other, and then they get tight. Shoutout to our guys for being able to fight. We were down being able to stay together and make certain adjustments, turn the pressure back up and be able to dig deep."
 
 A back-and-forth first half finally opened up in the last 90 seconds.
 
Six free throws, four from Natt and two from McQuillan, pushed the Generals lead to 37-31. The Generals pulled ahead by eight, 39-31, with a mid-range jumper from McQuillan at the buzzer.
 
McQuillan scored 13 points in the first half, draining a trio of threes.
 
LSUA's lead slowly dissipated in the first eight minutes of the second stanza. The Pilots (24-9) drew even, 47-47, with 12:05 left in regulation. They worked their lead to as many as nine with just under six minutes to play, 62-53.
 
A pair of consecutive threes from McQuillan and a tip-in from TJ James pulled LSUA within one, 62-61, with 4:13 to play. The Generals tied the game on their next possession with a layup from Natt, 63-63.
 
The Generals led 69-66 with 2.7 seconds on the clock after McQuillan knocked down a pair of shots at the charity stripe. The Pilots took the inbound and drained a deep three as time expired to force overtime.
 
Natt scored the first four points of overtime, putting LSUA ahead 73-69. A three and a jumper from Bethel gave the Pilots a brief 74-73 lead. The lead switched hands over the next four possessions until a jumper from Natt put LSUA up 79-78 with 27 seconds left. He then sank four free throws to seal the victory.
 
The Generals advance to the NAIA Round of Eight and take on seven-seeded Oklahoma Wesleyan, who upset three-seeded Baker, 77-65. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. from the Kansas City Municipal Auditorium.