Box Score KATY, Texas – New Orleans outscored McNeese 26-14 over the final 11 minutes while the Cowboys didn't make a field goal in the last seven minutes of play as the Privateers escaped an upset with an 82-78 win over the Cowboys in the second round of the 2022 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament at the Merrell Center on Thursday night.
 
The loss ended the Cowboys' season at 11-22 while the Privateers (18-12) advance to play No. 2 seeded Southeastern at 7:30 on Friday night in the tournament semifinals.
 
A day after winning its first conference tournament game in seven years, the Cowboys found some energy midway through the second half, sparked by perhaps the play of the tournament with Christian Shumate's windmill dunk off a missed layup, to pull ahead of UNO 64-56 with 9:10 remaining.
 
Following three straight points by UNO, a Zach Scott basket had McNeese ahead 66-59 with 8:32 to play. The Privateers chipped away behind a Derek St. Hilaire 3 and a Troy Green basket to pull to within two at 68-66 at the 7:03 mark.
 
McNeese's Kellon Taylor knocked down a hook shot in the paint to build the lead back to four points at 70-66 with 6:44 to play. That would be the last field goal the Cowboys would make for the remainder of the game as the Privateers slowly pulled away by hitting free throws and sinking crucial shots.
 
The Cowboys, even though not connecting on live shots, kept the game close by hitting some freebies as well, but missed on three straight 1-and-1 front ends that proved crucial in their attempt to rally ahead.
 
With the game tied 70-70 with 4:27 on the clock, Trae English, who tied for the team lead with 19 points, missed the front end of his 1-and-1 attempt and the Privateers hit 1 of 2 free throws on the opposite end to grab a 71-70 lead, their first since leading 44-43 early in the half. On the next possession, Medley-Bacon missed his first of a 1-and-1 which resulted in a couple of made free throws St. Hilaire to make it a 73-70 UNO advantage with 3:49 to play. On a third straight possession, Myles Lewis missed on his front end and once again, UNO responded with two free throws to go up 75-70 at the 3:12 mark.
 
English hit 5 of his next 6 from the line to keep the Cowboys within striking distance, but trailing 77-72 with 1:34 to play, Scott, who also scored 19 points while connecting on 3 of 6 from long range, missed on a 3 that would've pulled McNeese to within 2 points with just over a minute to play.
 
McNeese shot 25 of 56 for the game for 45 percent, 5 of 22 for 23 percent from three-point range, and 23 of 36 for 64 percent from the free throw line. UNO connected on 28 of 55 for 51 percent from the field, 1 for 10 for 10 percent from long range, and 25 of 33 for 76 percent at the line.
 
The Cowboys had a 44-29 advantage on the glass, led by Taylor's 10 to go along with 12 points to record a double-double.
 
Green led UNO with 21 points while St. Hilaire added 16.
 
Thursday's game was the fourth of the season between the two schools with UNO winning three.