HAMMOND -- The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team tips off its 2003-04 season on Tuesday when it faces the Spirit Express in a 7:45 p.m. exhibition game at the University Center.
The game is the nightcap of a basketball doubleheader as the Lady Lions host the Houston Jaguars in a 5:30 p.m. game. Live stats for both games will be available on www.LionSports.net.
Aided by the return of its top two scorers from last season -- seniors Amir Abdur-Rahim and Terry West -- Southeastern will look to improve on an 11-16 overall and 9-11 Southland Conference record. The Lions, picked by many prognosticators to finish in the middle of the SLC pack, officially open the season on Saturday when they host Wiley College in a 7 p.m. contest.
Abdur-Rahim, a Preseason First-Team All-SLC selection, returns for his final season after finishing sixth in the Southland Conference in scoring at 15.4 points per game. The 6-foot-3 guard was named to the All-SLC second-team last year and is ranked in the top five in school history in 3-point field goals made and attempts.
West, a 6-6 forward, was 12th in the SLC in scoring last year (11.5 ppg) and led the Lions in rebounds in his first season.
The Lions, who enjoyed an eight-point increase in their team scoring average from a year ago, feel their best offense is yet to come as highly touted junior college transfers Nate Lofton and Jonathan Patton will make their Southeastern debuts.
Joining Abdur-Rahim in the backcourt will be Michael Gardener, who started 14 games at Texas A&M before transferring to Southeastern after the Fall 2001 semester. A former JUCO teammate of Abdur-Rahim, Gardener finished seventh in the Southland Conference in assists despite not playing in the first five games due to the NCAA Transfer Rule.
Bolstering the backcourt will be the 6-2 Patton, who helped Redlands (Okla.) Community College record over 60 wins in two years while winning the Division II JUCO national championship as a freshman. A strong shooter from behind the 3-point arc, Patton was even more dangerous from the foul line as he was a 94 percent shooter from the charity stripe.
Dee Gadsden played in 15 games as a redshirt freshman in 2002-03 and showed flashes of being a solid contributor in the Lions' rotation. Returning to the lineup after sitting out as a redshirt is Neill Berry, who excels as a solid defender while possessing the ability to nail the long jumper.
Freshman Terry Bryant, regarded by some as the top point guard in the state of Mississippi coming out of high school, has the potential to be one of the best freshman Southeastern has produced in years as he brings a wealth of confidence and a winning attitude to the floor. Lane Frey, the only three-year letterwinner on the team, has played in 70 games in his career and has the ability to hit the open jumper as well as drive to the bucket.
The main area that Kennedy and his staff wanted to improve on from the previous season was in the paint where Jonathan Walker, who started 26 games as a true freshman, was the team's healthiest option in an area that was inexperienced and lacked quality depth.
With Walker continuing to improve his all-around game, plus the addition of the 6-10 Lofton, the Lions will be more athletic in the blocks than in past seasons while having more options.
Lofton, a former high school standout from New Orleans, arrives in Hammond with solid credentials, having played at one of the top junior colleges in the country. Also in the mix for more playing time in 2003-04 is sophomore Marcus Verner, who played in 22 games as a true freshman despite nagging injuries.
Southeastern defeated the Express in last year's exhibition, 85-76, as Abdur-Rahim and West scored 16 points each to lead the Lions. Former Ole Miss standout Jason Smith led the Express with a game-high 27 points while former Northwestern State standout Seth LeGrand added 13.
