NEW ORLEANS, La. – LSU Eunice men's basketball clinched its first outright LCCAC regular season championship in a 79-72 win over Delgado on Wednesday at the Williamson Center.  LSUE (20-5, 8-1 LCCAC) also secured its first 20-win season under head coach Byron Starks in just its second year of existence.
 
The Bengals now await the Region 23 Tournament on the campus of Mississippi College from March 3-8.
 
LSUE went wire-to-wire against Delgado, although the Dolphins would come close to overtaking the Bengals several times.  Semaj Matthews (New Orleans, LA, Landry-Walker HS) helped LSUE ward off the feisty Dolphins with his first career double double with the Bengals, tallying 11 points and 11 rebounds.
 
Matthews would shine in the first half, scoring seven points and seven rebounds to help the Bengals grab an early edge.  The sophomore forward was one of five players to score double digits in the game.
 
Tyrese Sam (Abbeville, LA, Abbeville HS) also shined early, leading the Bengals with eight first half points to help L SUE take a 40-32 lead at intermission.  Sam would go on to score 12 points, his first double-digit point effort of the season.
 
The second half would belong to Jevon Berry (Arnaudville, LA, Cecilia HS) as he would score 12 of his team-high 16 points after the break.  LSUE would extend its lead to as high as 10 early in the second half before fighting off Delgado late.
  
Jonathan Cisse (Grand Coteau, LA, St. Thomas More HS) would again flirt with a triple-double going for 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists.  Tyrone Hugue (Mansfield, TX, Lake Ridge HS) was the other Bengal to score double digit points with 12 on the night.