Dec. 18, 2006

Box Score

After a pre-conference schedule that included losses to Georgia, Wisconsin, Oklahoma State and Florida, the Jaguars (1-10) took on their in-state neighbors from Ruston for the second time in a week.

After losing 74-66 on Dec. 9, SU was determined that this night was the night they would break into the win column. This is also the second time in two seasons that Rob Spivery's Jaguars picked up their first win at home versus LaTech.

After falling behind for the only time at 2-0, the Jaguars went on a 22-2 run to sprint out to a 22-4 lead.

SU clamped down defensively on Tech (2-7) all night, not letting the Bulldogs get close until an 8-0 run at the end of the half cut the lead to 10 at the break.

Southern's leading scorer, Deforrest Riley-Smith, was held to four points after getting into foul trouble early in the second half, but that didn't seem to bother the Jaguars.

The second half was a half of spurts, Tech pulling to as close as eight points with the first basket of the half before Southern got back on track, eventually getting the lead back to as much as 16 twice in the half.

Along with leading all scorers with his 14 points, Scott had seven rebounds and a blocked shot. Geri Guillory had eight rebounds for SU while Chris Davis finished 6-7 from the free throw line for nine points.

Louisiana Tech was led in scoring by Chad McKenzie, who was the only Bulldog in double figures with 10 points.

"That's how it's going to be all game, every game," he said. "Defensive effort and rebounding the basketball is going to give us a chance. "Tonight we came out with the defensive intensity to allow ourselves to get off to a good start."

"That's good to see," Spivery said of the other players' effort. "We're still trying to determine what kind of team we're going to be.

Southern is now off until a December 3th matchup with the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO.