UIW Press Conference | SLU Press Conference

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Davion Bailey knocked down the go-ahead 3-pointer with under two minutes to play in overtime as the seventh-seeded UIW Cardinals defeated the sixth-seeded Southeastern Lions in the first round of the 2025 Jersey Mike's Southland Basketball Championships presented by Explore Louisiana.

The Cardinals earned their first-ever victory at the Southland Basketball Championships and will advance to the second round to take on No. 3 Nicholls at 7:30 p.m. on Monday night. 

Bailey scored 16 points, including six three-pointers, while Jalin Anderson added 20 points with seven assists. Dylan Hayman added 16 points and six boards, while Jordan Pyke poured in 10 points. 

The start could not have been better for UIW as they bombarded the Lions in the first 10 minutes behind three 3-pointers from Bailey and a calvacade of offense to rush out to a 29-11 lead.

From there, Southeastern stormed back, outscoring UIW 14-3 in the rest of the way to cut the deficit to 32-25 going into the break.

UIW took back control, leading by as many as eight in the first eight minutes, but a 12-0 Lion run behind Newcomer of the Year Sam Hines Jr. and Freshman of the Year Jeremy Elyzee gave Southeastern a four-point lead. UIW responded with their own 8-0 They ran to grab the lead back, and it turned into a shootout in the final five minutes. 

It was fireworks that included big-time shots and alley-oop dunks, but no one could inch ahead as the game entered overtime.

Southeastern jumped out to a quick four-point lead in OT, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Bailey put UIW ahead. The Cardinals finished it off on a lay-up by Hayman followed by a steal by Lamin Sabally, leading to another Hayman lay-in as UIW closed it out.

Hines finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while Jakevion Buckley added 13 points and seven rebounds. Elyzee scored 12, while Brody Rowbury had 11 points and four rebounds. For the Lions, it was their third straight tournament loss.