HOBBS, N.M. (Jan. 23, 2012) -- Marco Cooper recorded his seventh double-double and Robert Martinez scored 20 points to lead the Our Lady of the Lake University men's basketball team to a 43-point victory over the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, N.M. Monday evening.
 

The 112-69 win improves the Saints record to 13-0 in the Red River Athletic Conference and 16-3 overall, and Southwest drops to 5-8 in conference and 8-9 overall. The Saints are 2 ½ games ahead of second-place Texas Wesleyan University (10-2/15-3), while LSU-Shreveport (9-3/11-6) and the University of St. Thomas (9-3/11-7) trail by 3 ½ games.

The Saints have made the biggest leap in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll that was released on Monday. After debuting at No. 24 early in December, the Saints made it to No. 10 last week, and this week, they moved up three spots to No. 7 with a total of 248 points.

Among the 114 teams in the NAIA, the Saints are No. 1 in scoring offense/game (101.650),  in total scoring offense (2,033), in 3-point field goals made/game (12.00), in total 3-point field goals made (240),  in assists per game (19.50), in total assists (390) and in total steals (282), They are No. 2 in steals per game (14.10), No. 4 in scoring margin (21.10), No. 6 in turnover margin (6.150), No. 7 in total rebound offense (844) and No. 10 in total rebounds per game (42.200).  The Saints have reached the century mark 10 times, including seven consecutive times (the second most in NAIA history is eight, and the most is 17). The win against Southwest is the 14th successive win for the Saints – the second  longest winning streak currently in the NAIA (No. 1 Shorter is 18-0).

Against Southwest, the Saints shot 39-of-68 from the field (57 percent), 11-of-20 from 3-point range (55 percent) and 23-of-28 from the free-throw line (82 percent). Martinez led all scorers with 20 points, including 7-of-8 from the field and 6-of-7 from 3-point range. He added three assists and two steals. Cooper scored 19 points and had 10 rebounds. Lo'Ron Smith finished with 13 points, while Josh Orta ended with 12 points and Adonis Sousa, 11 points.

Southwest made 24-of-54 from the field (44 percent), 5-of-10 from 3-point range (50 percent) and 16-of-24 from the free-throw line. Demetrius Evans scored 16 points, and Benny Baeza finished with 11.
 

OLLU will travel to Marshall, Texas, this Saturday to play Wiley College. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. In 2009, the Saints won both regular season games against Wiley, but lost to them in the quarterfinals match. In 2010-2011, the Saints won both competitions, and earlier this season, the Saints beat Wiley 115-86.