Alexander's 3-pointer lifts Tuskegee past Spring Hill in Big Easy Classic

NEW ORLEANS -- David Alexander's 3-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in overtime gave Tuskegee a 62-60 men's basketball victory against Spring Hill in the opening game of the Big Easy Classic at Xavier University of Louisiana's Convocation Center.

Xavier defeated Jarvis Christian 75-71 in the second game. Spring Hill will play Jarvis Christian at 2 p.m. Saturday, and Xavier will play Tuskegee at 4.

Alexander's 3-pointer, his only field-goal attempt of the game, came after Alex Looney's basket gave Spring Hill (0-3) a 60-59 lead with 49 seconds remaining. There were four lead changes in overtime, which the Badgers forced after Brett Williams' 3-pointer at the buzzer in regulation. That tied the score at 53.

Javier McKinney scored 13 points, Calvin Thomas 11 and Elliott Dean 10 for Tuskegee, which is counting both its games in this event as exhibitions. McKinney had five assists and four steals, one on Spring Hill's final possession. McKinney also passed to Alexander for the winning shot.

Looney and Williams scored 13 points apiece for Spring Hill, and Robert Gipson had 11. Looney missed three free throws in overtime.

Five times Tuskegee led by seven points, the latest at 25-18 after McKinney's 3-pointer at 18:35 of the second half. Spring Hill took its first lead, 36-35, on Gipson's basket at 9:29 and three times led by three points in the final nine minutes of regulation.

Tuskegee outshot Spring Hill 38.5 to 36.2 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Badgers 42-36. The Golden Tigers committed 17 turnovers and gained 22.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA