Box Score Box Score

THE RUNDOWN
AUSTIN, Texas – Five Hilltoppers scored in double figures and St. Edward's University defeated an opponent by its largest margin of victory in 60 years, with a 108-56 win over Southwestern Tuesday at the RCC.

Technically, it's the largest margin of victory in 59 years, 11 months and nine days; SEU defeated St. Thomas 73-18 Nov. 23, 1957 in a 55-point win. Landon Goesling's 20 points led an offensive effort that saw the Hilltoppers (3-0) shoot 58.8 percent from the floor, which was the best shooting percentage since SEU beat Concordia-Texas Nov. 20, 2014 99-82 on a .603 shooting mark.

SEU led by 19 at half, and then held the Pirates to a 33.3 percent-shooting effort in the second frame with Southwestern managing just 26 points in the second half compared to the Hilltoppers' 59.

Goesling's third-straight game with at least 20 points was complimented by several solid individual performances including Cory McKendree's double-double and Ryan Garza's 17 points off the bench. The Hilltoppers' 3-0 start is the fifth time they've accomplished a perfect mark through three games under ninth-year head coach Andre Cook – who won his 120th game as Hilltoppers' head coach Tuesday.


HIGHLIGHTS
• Cory McKendree notched his second double-double of the season Tuesday with 12 rebounds to go along with 11 points.
• McKendree's 12 rebounds were a career-high; it was the second time this season he's had double-digit boards and eighth time in his career.
• McKendree has two games with double-digit scoring this season and eight in his career.
• McKendree tied a career-high with three blocks; and it was the second time this season he's had three blocks in a game (at Colorado Mesa, 11/10/17)
• Landon Goesling's 20 points gives the junior guard three straight games with 20+.
• Goesling's seventh point Tuesday was the 250th of his career.
• Goesling has 11 career games with double-digit points and three in 2017-18.
• Dorian Lopez scored 10 points, his second double-digit effort of the season and 16th of his career.
• James Taylor's 12th point of the game was his 500th career point; the junior finished with 13 points, the second double-digit scoring game of the season and 27th of his career.
• Sean Watkins' three steals leave him one away from tying for 10^th all-time on the SEU career steals list with 96 (Ryan Flores, 96, 1998-2002)
• Freshman Ryan Garza collected his first double-digit scoring game with 17 points off the bench including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
• Head Coach Andre Cook won his 120th career game as the SEU head coach.
• St. Edward's has now started a season 3-0, 19 times in the program's history and five times in the Andre Cook era
• St. Edward's is 70-57 all-time vs. Southwestern and 41-32 vs. the Pirates in Austin.
• SEU is now 53-34 all-time in home openers, and 8-1 in the Cook era.

STAT OF THE GAME I
24 – The Hilltoppers' 24 assists were the most since SEU had 26 vs. Panhandle State (1/26/17).

THEY SAID IT
SEU Head Coach Andre Cook on the Hilltoppers' defensive effort Tuesday …
"I challenged the guys down there to put a 40-minute defensive stand together, and we really did that. I think they shot 33 percent in the second half. They did a great job."

SEU Head Coach Andre Cook spreading the ball around …
You know I like to see these 24 assists. That's pretty good. 24 assists on 40 made shots. The guys, they care about each other. They're not worried about - I know it sounds cliché and a lot of coaches will say that - but they're not concerned about who gets the points. I know Landon [Goesling's] kind of led us the first three games. They're pumped for Landon that he's doing that. The fact that we have four or five guys scoring in doubles I think is fantastic. They want to pass the ball to each other, they don't care who gets the credit and I think that sets up for some good things down the line."

SEU Junior Forward Cory McKendree on starting out strong …
"It was really important. We talked about, as a team, starting strong and jumping on them early. Don't get jumped on. So, I think we did a really good job of doing that. The offense really was flowing, so we ran our offense and it worked out pretty well."

WHAT'S NEXT
SEU will play the second of its three exhibitions with Division I opponents Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Nacogdoches, Texas at Stephen F. Austin.