Kuxhausen’s deep 3 lifts McNeese over Nicholls 80-74, OT

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) — Dru Kuxhausen, the NCAA leader in total 3-pointers and 3s per game, drained a deep 3 to break a late tie and later sank a pair of free throws as McNeese rallied in overtime to defeat Nicholls 80-74 Wednesday night.

McNeese won its seventh in a row and Kuxhausen scored 22 points, going 6-for-9 from distance as the Cowboys (12-9, 7-3 Southland Conference) bumped off the second-place Colonels (14-8, 8-3) before a record crowd of 3,623 in a game that saw 23 lead changes and nine ties.

Sha’markus Kennedy added 16 points and pulled down a career-high 20 rebounds, his ninth double-double of the season. Roydell Brown scored 15 and grabbed nine boards while A.J. Lawson tossed in 13 points, grabbed 11 boards and added four assists.

Andre Jones tied a career high with 25 points for the Colonels while Dexter McClanahan added 14 points. Warith Alatishe had 13 points and nine rebounds. Alatishe sank two free throws with nine seconds left in regulation to forge a 70-70 tie.

McNeese State plays Lamar at home on Saturday. Nicholls State plays Stephen F. Austin on the road next Wednesday.