Southeast Missouri State men's basketball teams drops BracketBusters game

The Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team got off to a strong start Saturday but couldn't sustain it.

Host McNeese State pulled away late to win the BracketBusters matchup in Lake Charles, La., 74-61. Southeast fell to 1-6 all-time in BracketBusters play.

Southeast, which is third in the Ohio Valley Conference, fell to 14-13 overall with its second consecutive loss.

McNeese State, which leads the Southland Conference East Division, improved to 15-10 with its eighth consecutive victory.

"We ran into a tough team. There's a reason they've won eight in a row and lead the Southland Conference," Southeast coach Dickey Nutt said. "We're disappointed in the outcome. I didn't think we played as well as we had been playing."

Junior guards Marland Smith and Nick Niemczyk each hit a 3-pointer in the game's opening 50 seconds as Southeast grabbed a 6-0 lead.

The Redhawks went ahead 12-4 for their largest advantage of the day and led most of the first half before falling behind 36-35 at the intermission.

There were eight lead changes in the first nine-plus minutes of the second half before the Cowboys went ahead for good with a little more than 10 minutes remaining.

Southeast was still within 64-61 with under three minutes left, but the Cowboys scored the game's final 10 points.

"I thought we played well for about 30 minutes, then we unraveled," Nutt said. "Defensively we weren't very sound today. They had some good players."

Niemczyk led Southeast with 18 points. Sophomore forward Tyler Stone had 13 points and seven rebounds.

Senior guard Patrick Richard, the Southland's top scorer at more than 17 points per game, paced the Cowboys with 27 points.

The Redhawks shot a season-low 36.9 percent compared to 51.9 percent for the Cowboys, who outscored Southeast 30-20 in the paint. McNeese State blocked six shots and altered several others.

"You go on the road, you have to hit shots. I bet we missed 10 to 15 layups. That tears you up," Nutt said. "I thought we were manhandled inside. We got intimidated."

McNeese State will visit Southeast as part of the BracketBusters arrangement next season.

Southeast ends the regular season with OVC road games at Jacksonville State on Thursday and at Austin Peay on Saturday.