EUNICE, La. – A picture perfect first half was for naught as LSU Eunice saw its halftime lead slip away against No.13 Holmes in an 83-71 setback.  It was the Bengals' first ever game against a NJCAA nationally ranked opponent.
 
LSUE shot an impressive 59.1% (13-for-22) in the first half as the Bengals held a 39-36 edge at the half.  The Bengals used a critical 13-3 run to push ahead to a 33-25 lead with 3:50 left in the half.  Michael Smith Jr. (Lafayette, LA, Comeaux HS) paced the Bengals offense with 14 points in the first, including 4-for-6 from three-point range.
 
Holmes would not be kept down after half, firing an impressive 58.0% (18-for-31) from the floor including 7-for-12 from three-point range after intermission.  The Bulldogs would regain the lead, 42-41, with 18:00 left and never trailed again.
 
Jaylen Lester and Kassim Nicholson both scored a game-high 19 points to pace Holmes.
 
The Bengals had five players in double figures including Smith (14 points), Jacques Clark (Alexandria, LA, Tioga HS) (13 points), Brennan Maddox (Fairview, LA, Fairview HS) (12 points), Caleb Starks (Lafayette, LA, Lafayette Christian HS) (10 points) and Tre Washington (Gibson, LA, Houma Christian HS) (10 points).
 
LSUE will hit the road for the Angelina Thanksgiving Classic this weekend.  The Bengals face Western Texas College on Friday, November 23 at 5:00PM and Southwestern Christian College on Saturday, November 24 at 4:00PM.