Hill scores 18, leads New Orleans to 68-64 win over Lamar
BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) Kevin Hill scored a season-high 18 and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Nate Frye had 10 points with a season-best five steals to help New Orleans hold off Lamar for a 68-64 win Monday night.
Christavious Gill scored 11, all in the second half, and Cameron Reed had 10 points for New Orleans (5-7, 1-0 Southland).
Back-to-back 3s by Gill put the Privateers up 59-37 with 15 minutes left before Lamar (9-5, 1-1) used an 11-2 run to tie it at 64 with 2:27 remaining. But the Cardinals missed all five of their field goal attempts and committed three turnovers from there.
Hill hit a jumper to put New Orleans up two with 54 seconds left and Reed added two free throws to seal it.
New Orleans had 16 steals, its most this season against a Division I opponent, as Lamar committed a season-high 28 turnovers.
Nick Garth scored 15 and Dontavious Sears 13 points for Lamar. Sears added 11 rebounds and four blocks, both career highs.