Louisiana College guard Kevin Cottonham scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Wildcats to a 75-66 win over the LeTourneau University men's basketball team on Saturday afternoon in Solheim Arena.
 
The YellowJackets (2-4, 1-2 ASC) were led by senior Justin Jones – who had his second double double of the season – who had 20 points and 10 rebounds in the defeat. He was joined in double figures by sophomore Chris Hynes and senior Chad Williams, who scored 13 and 11 points, respectively.
 
The Wildcats (3-1, 3-0 ASC) were led in scoring by Cottonham, who was joined in double figures by Anthony Gaines and Kevin Lewis, who added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
 
After a pair of early five-point leads by the YellowJackets, the Wildcats went on a 6-0 spurt and never trailed again. Twice, LeTourneau would cut the deficit to as little as one, in the first half, but never regain the lead.
 
The YellowJackets found themselves trailing 58-41, in the second half with 16:11 to play, before they worked the deficit down to three at 67-64 with 3:29 to play when sophomore Ladaria Brown made the first of two free throws. However, to answer the threat by LeTourneau, Cottonham scored four-consecutive points to put the margin at 7 and the YellowJackets would draw no closer.
 
Despite the loss, LeTourneau shot 51% from the field and outscored the Wildcats, 38-36 on points in the paint and 16-8 on second-chance points. The Wildcats made 16 of 24 free throws compared to a 9-for-14 effort by the YellowJackets.
 
Next, LeTourneau will be idle for the week as the student-athletes will be preparing for final exams before returning to the court on Thursday, Dec. 17 when they travel to University of Texas-Tyler for a 7:30 p.m. tilt.