Another Game, Another Rally For Lakers

CHICAGO – The unflappable Roosevelt men's basketball team overcame yet another halftime deficit to take down Holy Cross 69-67 for its fifth straight victory Saturday night at the Goodman Center.

The Lakers (6-3, 5-1 CCAC) entered the break down by eight points and trailed by as many as 11 early in the second half. Yet as they so often do, the Lakers were ready to rally with an 18-2 run that included 14 straight points to take a five-point lead with 14 minutes left in the game. Roosevelt led by as many as eight in the second half, but still needed to fend off one last rush from the Saints in the game's closing seconds.

Roosevelt shot just 37.5 percent from the field in the first half, including making just one of its 11 3-point attempts in the opening 20 minutes. However, the second half was a much different story again for the Lakers offense as they made close to 52 percent of their shots and went 5 of 12 from long range.

It all began for the Lakers when they trailed 42-31 just 2:32 into the second half after the Saints scored on three consecutive possessions. Yuri Swinford hit a 3-pointer then Lucas Jordan stepped in the way of a pass and was fouled going for a transition layup. Within 79 seconds, the game was tied and Julio Montes II hit a triple right after a Holy Cross timeout to give the Lakers the lead for the second time in the game.

However, the star of the half was freshman Shane Stevensen, who took over during an eight-minute stretch after Roosevelt took the lead. The forward scored all 15 of his points during that second-half as a dominant force on the interior at both ends of the floor. He finished with a career-high six rebounds in the game but fell just one point short of his season best in points.

Stevensen tied for the team lead in points with Swinford, who also grabbed six rebounds in the victory. It was his final rebound that was the most important, though, as he flew in from the other side of the paint to collect an offensive rebound with 18 seconds left that set up Julio Montes II for two free throws in a one-point game. Montes and Myers both made free throws late to eke into double figures as well while Ayo Ajiboye collected 10 rebounds, seven of which came in the second half.

The first half was a struggle for the Lakers as they never really looked in sync at either end of the floor. They led 10-8 for a brief 21-second span, but otherwise struggled to string together stops and good looks at the rim. It was the fourth straight game the Lakers have come back to win after trailing at halftime and the third time this season the Lakers have rallied from at least an eight-point deficit to win.

Roosevelt will try to keep the good times rolling Saturday in University Park when they face off with Governors State at 3:30 p.m. in another CCAC clash.