WAXAHACHEE, Fla.—Southeastern connected on 11 3-pointers to end a four-game losing streak and knock off Evangel 94-87 in the first game of the Holiday Classic, hosted by Southwestern Assemblies of God University.
Five of those 3-pointers came off the hand of senior
Caleb Konieczny, who scored a team best and career-high 25 points, and added two steals.
Evangel controlled the first half of play, never trailing in the first 20 minutes, and building an advantage as large as 11, leading 18-7 with 14:14 left in the opening stanza. The Crusaders shot 62% from the field and outrebounded the Fire 20-10 in the first 20 minutes of play.
That came to a hault in the second half.
Southeastern (6-4) dug in defensively, forcing eight second half turnovers, and holding Evangel to 35% from the field, and just 3-of-10 from beyond the arc. The Fire, meanwhile, knocked down 55% from the field in the second half, and hit on six of their eight 3-point attempts and outscored the Crusaders 52-37 in the second 20 minutes.
An 8-0 run by the Fire brought them within two (52-50) with 16:44 left in the second half. SEU led for the first time at the 14:17 mark, and went on to build a seven-point advantage, thanks to a 3-pointer by
Matt Crowe, and a pair of
Deshawn Wilcox free throws to put the Fire up 70-63 with 10:15 left.
Evangel got within three with just over three minutes to play, but clutch baskets by
Elijah Ray, and free throws by Konieczny helped ice the game away.
Larry Taylor helped out the offense with 19 points, three assists, and had a steal. Ray finished with a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Jake Hodges added 13 points and five assists to the winning effort.
SEU finished the night 53% from the field, and 65% from beyond the arc.
The Fire return to action in the Metroplex tomorrow against Vanguard University at 6:30 p.m. Eastern.
