The Lions (12-17, 5-11) ended their season last week with two impressive wins over the McNeese State Cowboys (10-6, 15-14) and the Nicholls State Colonels (10-19, 6-10). The two games marked the last as Lions for seniors Elgin Bailey and DeShawn Patterson.

The team played their last home game in the University Center on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. against McNeese and their last game of the season at Nicholls on Saturday, March 3 at 3:30 p.m.

Against McNeese, the Lions were down after an opening basket by Cowboys forward Patrick Richard, but quickly took the lead after Lions guard Todd Nelson scored on a three point shot. The Lions took command of the game towards the end of the first half with an 11 point lead over the visiting Cowboys. The team went into the locker room leading 32-23.

After the half, the Lions continued their dominance and maintained the lead during the entire second period. Lions forward Roosevelt Johnson put on a strong performance, scoring a team high 24 points during the game.

“The points were just coming today. I had to slow down, create and finish,” said Johnson about his performance on Wednesday.

McNeese started to rally late in the second period, cutting the lead down to five with only nine seconds remaining in the game. With the clock ticking away, the Cowboys pressed the attack, but any hope of a comeback was thwarted when Lions senior guard Patterson stole the ball with four seconds remaining, ending the game 64-57.

After the game against McNeese, head coach Jim Yarbrough explained his team’s mindset going into Saturday’s game against Nicholls.

“We’re a little sore. We’re hurting,” said Yarbrough. “I think I was able to convince them that this week was about us.”

That message proved to be true as the Lions ended their season with a 68-58 win over Nicholls. The game saw the Lions’ Todd Nelson score a season-high 19 points and Johnson secure his eighth double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

In their last appearances as Lions, Patterson ended the game with a team high six assists while Bailey scored 12 points.

For Yarbrough, the late season wins end a year that did not go as planned, but gives hope for next season with the emergence of Johnson and the return of Brandon Fortenberry.

“The reflection on the year is that with Brandon Fortenberry we were 5 and 3, without him we’re 6 and 11. He was a big piece of the puzzle. The day before he and Elgin are supposed to be in a game together, he gets hurt, and they never play together,” Yarbrough said, looking back on the season. “We really had a crisis of confidence. We knew we were in the fight of our lives, and the guys kept bringing it every day. The group has never said die. I like what we’re doing in recruiting. I think we have a chance to totally turn this season around. I’m optimistic.”