LAKE CHARLES, La. — Love Bettis scored 17 points as Northwestern State took down Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a thrilling 66-63 victory in the Southland Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Monday. Micah Thomas was instrumental in the comeback, contributing 15 points and hitting a crucial 3-pointer in the closing moments to secure the win for the Demons.
The fourth-seeded Demons, now with a record of 17-15, are set to face top-seeded McNeese in the semifinals scheduled for Tuesday. In a tightly contested game, the fifth-seeded Islanders managed to level the score at 63 after Dion Wright-Forde sank two free throws with just over a minute left. However, Thomas’s game-winning 3-pointer with 17 seconds to go proved decisive. The Islanders had two opportunities to tie the game in the final moments, but both Owen Dease and Wright-Forde missed their 3-point attempts.
Bettis demonstrated his proficiency by shooting 5 for 10 from the field, including 3 for 5 from beyond the arc, and maintained a perfect record from the free-throw line, going 4 for 4. Thomas contributed to Northwestern State’s success by sinking three 3-pointers, while Landyn Jumawan added 12 points, capitalizing on his 4-for-9 performance from long distance.
For the Islanders, Wright-Forde emerged as the leading scorer with 15 points. Garry Clark also performed well, tallying 14 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and making three steals. Meanwhile, Dease contributed 10 points to the effort.
The Demons had established a 38-28 lead at halftime, largely thanks to Bettis’s impressive 12-point first-half showing. The victory enables Northwestern State to continue their push through the conference tournament, vying for a shot at the championship.
