Keyed by a strong second half effort, the Louisiana College men's basketball team handed No. 19 Texas-Dallas its first loss of the season, a 73-64, in a game played at LSU of Alexandria.

The Wildcats rallied from a 39-33 halftime deficit with a 12-2 run to start the second half. After 3-point baskets from Kevin Lewis and Anthony Gaines, Jr., the Wildcats took a 45-41 lead with 15:55 to play in the game on a Lewis slam dunk that came after a Dillon Mandeville steal and assist.

It was one five dunks on the night for Gaines who served notice to the American Southwest Conference that he is back in full form after a knee injury hampered him in the latter part of the 2013-14 season. Gaines, Jr. led the Wildcats with 24 points while adding 5 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals.

The Wildcats also had to overcome second half foul trouble for junior point guard Kevin Cottonham, who picked up his fourth with 11:38 to play and LC holding a 55-49 lead. But, the Wildcats held serve with Cottonham on the bench. He would return with just under six minutes to play after replacement Dylan Brewer was forced to leave the game with an apparent bloody nose.

With the Wildcats still up by six, LC, now 1-0, was able to finish the previously unbeaten Comets with a Cottonham 3 with 3:25 to play that gave the Wildcats the 68-61 lead. Cottonham added assists to Steve Evans, who finished with 12, and Gaines for his final basket give LC its final winning margin.

Key to the win for LC was a hot shooting night. The Cats finished 30 of 52 (58-percent) for the game, and they were 17 of 27 in the second half. Texas-Dallas could not maintain its strong first half (12 of 23), as the Comets shot just 9 of 25 in the second half and scored only 25 points.

The Comets jumped out to a quick lead in the game, holding a 12-5 edge after the first five minutes and a 23-9 lead at the 10-minute mark.

The Wildcats pushed their way back into the game behind the scoring of Gaines. Trailing 32-22 with under nine minutes in the half, the Cats got a quick 6-0 spurt with a Cottonham steal and layin and then back-to-back slam dunks from Gaines to make it 32-28 with 2:38 left in the half. Gaines had 10 points in the half, as LC trailed 39-33 at the break.

LC was forced to play the game at LSUA with improvements to H.O. West not yet completed. The Wildcats will actually return here Monday, Nov. 1 when they will be the visiting team against the Generals in 7 p.m. matchup.