FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MARCH 1, 2022
EUNICE, La. – Isaiah Payne gave a performance to remember as the sophomore guided LSU Eunice to a 76-73 overtime win over East Mississippi on the road Tuesday in the Region 23 Quarterfinals. The Bengals (19-6 overall) improved their current win streak to 13 games.
The Pine Prairie HS product would score 7 of the Bengals’ 10 points in overtime including two critical free throws with 4.7 seconds left to seal the victory over the MACCC Tournament Champions. Jordan Hayes would send his teammates into celebration with a steal in the backcourt to end the game.
Payne tallied a season-high 31 points including 18 in the second half and overtime. Jordan Hayes also enjoyed his best scoring performance of the season pouring in 19 points.
The Bengals would fall behind early to the Lions, trailing in the first half by as many as seven. A late flurry would see the Bengals take their first lead and head into the locker room knotted up with EMCC 29-29.
LSUE would use a 15-2 run midway through the second half to break a 43-43 tie and take a commanding 58-45 lead with 7:13 left in regulation. The Bengals would use three-pointers by Payne, Hayes, Bryce Roberts and Moses Nuangki in that span to take the largest lead for either team in the game.
Nuangki would score nine points off the bench, all coming in the second half.
East Mississippi would fight back, clawing back and tying the game with 23.6 seconds in regulation. A last second drive by Payne would fall short, setting the stage for the overtime win.
The Bengals victory would spoil a career-best 36 points from EMCC’s Jakorie Smith.
LSUE now turns its attention to the Region 23 Semifinals and top-seed Pearl River. The Bengals will tangle with the nation’s 16th ranked team on the campus of Mississippi College this Friday.
Travis Webb
Interim Director Of Public Affairs
Athletics Communications Director
Louisiana State University Eunice
2048 Johnson Highway | PO Box 1129
Eunice, Louisiana 70535
O: 337.550.1253 | C: 337.581.5746