NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — New Orleans escaped with an 84-83 men’s basketball victory over Incarnate Word on Monday night at Kiefer Lakefront Arena. The Privateers squandered a 12-point halftime lead before securing the one-point win in the final moments. Davion Bailey led all scorers with 28 points for the Cardinals, while Tahj Staveskie added 24. New Orleans was paced by Tavaj Cope with 19 points and Jakevion Buckley, who contributed 18 points and seven assists. The Privateers improved to 4-7. Incarnate Word fell to 5-5.

NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — In a frantic finish that saw the lead change hands three times in the final minute, the New Orleans Privateers edged the Incarnate Word Cardinals 84-83 in a non-conference men’s basketball game Monday night at Kiefer Lakefront Arena. The game was decided at the free-throw line in the closing seconds. With the score tied at 82, New Orleans guard Jakevion Buckley was fouled and calmly sank two free throws with 53 seconds remaining to put the Privateers ahead for good at 84-82. Incarnate Word’s Tahj Staveskie answered with a pull-up jumper to cut the deficit to one with 41 seconds left. After a missed driving layup by New Orleans’ Coleton Benson, the Cardinals secured the rebound and called a timeout with 9 seconds remaining to set up a final play. Out of the timeout, Incarnate Word’s Davion Bailey drove to the basket but missed a contested layup. Teammate Jordan Pyke grabbed the offensive rebound but his put-back attempt as time expired was off the mark, sealing the one-point victory for the home team. The game was a tale of two halves. New Orleans dominated the opening period, building a 38-26 halftime lead behind a strong defensive effort that included five first-half blocks, two each from Tavaj Cope and Churchill Abass. The Privateers shot efficiently and controlled the paint early. Incarnate Word, however, exploded after the break. The Cardinals, led by the high-scoring duo of Bailey and Staveskie, poured in 57 second-half points. A 14-2 run midway through the half, fueled by three-pointers from Bailey and Harold Woods, erased what had been a 16-point Privateer advantage and set the stage for the back-and-forth finale. Bailey, a guard from Indianapolis, led all scorers with 28 points for Incarnate Word. Staveskie, from Sandusky, Ohio, added 24 points and five assists. Woods contributed 15 points. New Orleans was paced by a balanced attack. Cope, a forward from Boston, scored 19 points and had two blocks. Buckley, from Shelbyville, Texas, finished with 18 points and seven assists, including the decisive free throws. MJ Thomas of Denton, Texas, added 16 points, and Panagiotis Pagonis of Athens, Greece, came off the bench to score 14. The loss dropped Incarnate Word to 5-5 on the season. The Cardinals had won two of their last three games entering the contest. New Orleans improved to 4-7, snapping a two-game skid. An announced crowd of 368 at the Lakefront Arena watched the Privateers overcome a significant statistical disadvantage. According to the National Statistical ELO system, Incarnate Word entered the game with a 75.10 percent probability to win. The combined point total of 167 also surpassed the pre-game over/under line of 151. The game was a non-conference matchup between Southland Conference members. Both teams begin their conference schedules in early January. Incarnate Word travels to face Texas Christian next on Dec. 15. New Orleans will visit Houston on Dec. 13.

NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — A pair of Southland Conference men’s basketball teams looking to halt recent slides will meet Monday night when the New Orleans Privateers host the Incarnate Word Cardinals at Kiefer Lakefront Arena. Both teams enter the non-conference matchup on losing streaks. The Cardinals (5-4) fell 74-67 at Nicholls State on Saturday, snapping a two-game win streak. The Privateers (3-6) have dropped five consecutive games, most recently an 86-70 loss at Memphis on Dec. 3. The game features two of the league’s top offensive threats. Incarnate Word is led by dynamic guard Davion Bailey, who is averaging 22.2 points per game. Bailey is coming off a 29-point performance against McNeese State on Dec. 1 and has scored 25 or more in three of his last five contests. New Orleans will counter with guard Tavaj Cope, who is coming off a season-high 21 points in the loss to Memphis. Cope’s scoring has been inconsistent during the Privateers’ tough road stretch, but his breakout performance provides a potential spark for a team in need of offense. While the Privateers have struggled overall, their three wins have come impressively on the road at TCU and Tulane, and at home against Southern-New Orleans. Finding that form at Lakefront Arena is a priority. Incarnate Word has shown its own potency, averaging 87 points in its five victories, but has also lost by 34 at Colorado State. Historically, the Privateers have dominated the series, winning 14 of the 15 all-time meetings. Incarnate Word’s lone victory came in the most recent matchup, a 72-70 win in San Antonio on Feb. 11, 2025. Monday’s contest is the final tune-up for both teams before challenging road games against major conference opponents. Incarnate Word visits TCU on Dec. 15, while New Orleans travels to Houston on Dec. 13. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CST.