HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The William Carey men's basketball team controlled the game from start to finish Saturday afternoon, rolling to a commanding 92-37 victory over Louisiana Christian at Clinton Gymnasium.
The Crusaders wasted little time establishing control, racing out to a 7-0 lead to open the contest.
Arzika Seibou scored Carey's first basket of the afternoon as the Crusaders gradually found their offensive rhythm, extending their advantage to 12-2 just four minutes into the game.
Although Louisiana Christian struggled early, the Wildcats managed to trim the deficit to single digits midway through the first half. William Carey quickly responded with a decisive run to regain momentum, building a 23-8 advantage and forcing the Wildcats to play catch-up for the remainder of the period.
Louisiana Christian battled back and cut the lead to 10 with just over six minutes remaining before halftime, but the Crusaders answered immediately.
Malik Franklin,
David Combest and
Grace Aluma combined for seven consecutive points to spark another surge, pushing Carey's lead to 31-14. The Crusaders continued to control play on both ends of the floor and carried a comfortable 39-22 lead into the locker room.
The second half belonged entirely to William Carey.
The Crusaders opened the period with a dominant 20-2 run, stretching their advantage to 59-24 with 13 minutes remaining. Franklin spearheaded the outburst, knocking down three consecutive 3-pointers, while Seibou,
Avan Wilson and
Jamarion Smith also contributed baskets as the lead swelled to 35 points.
Defensively, Carey was just as impressive. Louisiana Christian struggled to find any offensive consistency against the Crusaders' relentless pressure. During a seven-minute stretch, the Wildcats committed 10 turnovers, many of which led directly to points on the other end. From there, William Carey cruised to the 55-point victory.
The Crusaders were particularly dominant defensively after halftime, holding the Wildcats to just 15 points on 17% shooting while forcing 15 turnovers. For the game, William Carey shot 51.5% from the field and forced 27 turnovers, converting those mistakes into 31 points.
Franklin led all scorers with 25 points, while Wilson added 17. Smith finished with 12 points, and Aluma controlled the glass with 10 rebounds.
William Carey returns to action Thursday, Nov. 12, when the Crusaders host Xavier University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Clinton Gymnasium.
