FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Southeastern Louisiana University officially opens its 2008-09 men's basketball season Friday when it faces SEC member Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.

The only Division I program in the state of Louisiana to record a winning record the past five years, Southeastern completed the 2007-08 season with a 17-13 record under head coach Jim Yarbrough. Southeastern, which will face Miles College in its home opener on Monday, face a challenging non-conference schedule that includes contests at Texas Tech, Minnesota, Auburn and LSU.

Swingman Kevyn Green, who will play in the first 14 games before exhausting his eligibility, returns after leading the Lions in scoring at 15.4 points per game. Senior Warrell Span, a former Patterson High product, finished second for the Lions in scoring (12.2) with 6-foot-9 junior Patrick Sullivan next at 10.0 while leading the team in rebounds (6.3) and recorded 60 blocks.

Hammond's Chris Cyprian earned five starts in the backcourt for the Lions and is poised to handle the shooting guard duties with true freshman Brandon Fortenberry slated to handle the point.

Returning players David Ndoumba and Jeremy Dunbar are expected to provide a spark off the bench with redshirt Antonio Pope and newcomers Robert Tibbs and DeShawn Patterson slated to see significant action.

Arkansas, which finished 23-12 under head coach John Pelphrey, looks to replace four starters including Sonny Weems and Patrick Beverly. Junior guard Stefan Welsh (5.3 ppg.) is the lone returning starter for the Razorbacks with junior forward Michael Washington (4.3 ppg., 3.9 rpg.) the most experienced player coming off the bench.

A strong recruiting class, ranked as high as No. 11 nationally, will look to bolster an Arkansas attack that lost 86 percent of its scoring from last season and 83 percent of its rebounds.

Highlighting the newcomers for the Razorbacks is freshman guard Courtney Fortson, who averaged 25 points and seven assists last season at the Patterson (N.C.) School. Freshman Rotnei Clarke averaged nearly 41 points per game in high school while New Orleans native Brandon Moore averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds last season at Holy Cross.

The meeting between the schools is the third on the hardwood with Arkansas winning both contests. The Razorbacks defeated Southeastern, 65-62, in the initial meeting in the 1984-85 season before posting a 95-57 victory in the 1998-99 campaign.