MINNEAPOLIS – The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team returns to action Tuesday when it opens a four-game road trip against No. 23-ranked Minnesota at Williams Arena.

 

Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. The game, which will televised nationally on ESPNU (Channel 301 in Tangipahoa/St. Tammany Parish), can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.

 

Southeastern (6-4), which will return from the Christmas holiday with road games at Auburn (Dec. 31), LSU (Jan. 3) and the Southland Conference opener at Lamar (Jan. 10), posted an impressive 70-51 win over Jackson State last Saturday at the University Center.

 

The Lions held JSU to 34 percent from the floor in the game and 1-for-14 from behind the 3-point line in claiming their first win over the Tigers at home since Jan. 28, 1984.

 

Patrick Sullivan and Kevyn Green scored 18 points each for Southeastern, which never trailed in the contest and won its second consecutive game against JSU. Chris Cyprian added 13 points for the Lions while Sullivan added three blocks to become the school's all-time leader with 134.

 

Paced by Green, the Southland Conference's leading scorer at 20.0 points per game, Southeastern is second the league in scoring averaging 80.7 points. Defensively, the Lions are allowing 66.8 points while holding opponent to 42 percent shooting from the floor.

 

Warrell Span is next in scoring for Southeastern at 12.0 points per game with Sullivan, the team's leading rebounder and shot blocker, next at 11.9. Cyprian (9.1), Louisiana-Lafayette transfer Damon Forest (8.0), Robert Tibbs (7.4), freshman Brandon Fortenberry (6.6) and Antonio Pope (5.1) are next in scoring for Southeastern.

 

Minnesota (10-0), off to its best start in 32 years and cracked the national poll for the first time in six years, picked up its biggest win of the season with a 70-64 win against then No. 9-ranked Louisville on Saturday in Glendale, Ariz. Al Nolen led the Golden Gophers with 18 points while Blake Hoffarber and Travis Busch combined for 28 points off the bench.

 

Lawrence Westbrook leads Minnesota in scoring at 12.8 points per game with former Thibodaux High product Damian Johnson next at 10.7. Hoffarber (9.9), Nolen (9.2) and Colton Iverson (7.8) are next in scoring for the Golden Gophers, who average 73.5 points as a team while allowing 61.2.

 

The meeting is the second between the schools in two years with Minnesota defeating Southeastern, 63-61, on Spencer Tollackson's tip-in at the buzzer.