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    Lumberjacks Open Season with Win
    Alexander scores 18 to lead SFA past San Diego
    Sophomore Josh Alexander hit 3-of-5 3-pointers to lead SFA with 18 points
    Sophomore Josh Alexander hit 3-of-5 3-pointers to lead SFA with 18 points

    Nov. 11, 2006

    Box Score

    NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack basketball team opened the 2006-07 season Saturday afternoon with a 71-62 victory over San Diego in the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The Lumberjacks did major damage at the 3-point line on both ends of the floor. SFA hit 50 percent (6-12) from beyond the arc while holding San Diego to seven percent on 3-pointers. The Toreros didn't hit a single shot from long range in the second half and finished the game 1-of-13.

    Sophomore Josh Alexander led SFA in 3-point shooting and points, hitting 3-of-5 from downtown to finish with a game-high 18 points. Three other Lumberjacks joined him in double figures. Senior guard Chaz Dykes scored 15 points, and centers Antuane Miller and Matt Kingsley added 11 points each. The duo led the `Jacks in rebounding with eight and seven boards, respectively.

    SFA drew first blood on a jumper in the paint by Miller, and the Lumberjacks never trailed in the game. Led by Kingsley's nine first-half points, the SFA bench outscored the Toreros' reserves, 15-3, in the opening period. The Lumberjacks went to halftime ahead, 35-28.

    The Toreros opened the second half on a hot streak and went on an 11-6 run to tie the game at 41 with 13:57 left. But Miller again put the `Jacks ahead when he was fouled on a jumper in the paint and converted the three-point play. From there, SFA pulled away, pushing its lead to double digits for the first time on a pair of free throws by Alexander with 5:23 left. The Lumberjacks led by as many as 16 points down the stretch, before San Diego closed the gap then set the final margin on a layup by leading scorer Brandon Johnson with seven seconds left.

    Johnson finished with 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He connected on 8-of-9 shots from the foul line, where San Diego was 21-of-26 overall.

    The Lumberjacks (1-0) will return to action Tuesday, when they travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to take on TCU. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

    - SFA -