PINEVILLE, La.– Hardin-Simmons' men's basketball team opened American Southwest Conference play with a big road win at one of the preseason favorites, winning 80-70 at Louisiana College on Thursday evening at the H.O. West Fieldhouse in Pineville, La.

Christian O'Neal started the game off with a pair of jumpers and had his best game of the season with 19 points, seven assists and four steals to lead the Cowboys.

The game was tied at 22 with 6:39 to play in the first half and the Cowboys went on a 10-0 run. Justin Jones started it with a thunderous two-handed dunk in transition, O'Neal and Cameron Barnes had four points each in the run that made it 32-22. HSU kept the lead the rest of the way.

After a Julius Jackson 3-pointer to open the second half cut the Cowboy lead to 38-34, Cameron Barnes.

Hit back-to-back 3-pointers to push the lead back to 10. The Cowboys kept LC down the rest of the way.

O'Neal's Dunk in transition with 11:48 to play made it 60-48 and was part of an 8-0 run that gave the Cowboys a 64-48 lead. LC was never closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Jones had 15 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots for the Cowboys. Barnes had 12 points and Dashun Dixon chipped in 11.

Raheem Regis had 17 points to pace LC and Anthony Gaines had 16 points and eight rebounds.

The Cowboys are now 4-3 on the year and 1-0 in league play. LC fell to 1-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play. HSU plays at defending ASC champion East Texas Baptist on Saturday at 3 p.m. in Marshall.