Box Score Baton Rouge, La.-Another second half of mistakes cost the Braves the win tonight against Southern. The Braves committed 23 turnovers and picked up their fifth consecutive loss to split the season series with Southern, 61-48.
The Braves grabbed an early 4-0 lead on baskets by
LeAntwan Luckett and
Marquiz Baker.
Less than five minutes later, Baker knocked down a three-pointer to extend the Braves lead to six, 12-6 at the 15:06 mark.
Southern quickly closed the gap and tied the game at 12-12 at the 12:48 mark on a pair of free throws by Derick Beltran. Then Malcolm Miller gave the Jaguars their first lead of the night on a three-pointer which made the score 15-14 with 11:40 to go in the first half.
Anthony Nieves nailed a three-pointer to regain the lead for the Braves, 25-23 with 6:38 to play before the half.
Both teams went back and forth trading baskets for the final minutes of the first half and the score was knotted tight at 27-27 going into the locker room.
Luckett's layup after the half gave the Braves a five-point lead out of the locker room, 34-29. But the Jaguars tied the game at 36-36 with 10:16 to play in the game.
The battle for the lead continued until later in the second half when Southern's Miller hit back-to-back three-pointers to give the Jaguars a 52-44 lead and from there the Braves couldn't find their way back into the game.
Baker led the Braves with 15 points.
Ian Francis chipped in 11 points.
Southern was led by Miller with a game-high 22 points and knocking down five three-pointers. Javan Mitchell and Youndarius Johnson scored 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The Braves (9-22, 7-9) are off Monday before hitting the road for their season finales against Prairie View and Texas Southern.
