HAMMOND – After a grueling non-conference schedule that saw the likes of Arkansas, Texas Tech, Minnesota, Auburn and LSU, the Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team opens Southland Conference play on Saturday when it travels to face Lamar in Beaumont, Texas.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Montagne Center. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern (6-7, 0-0 SLC) concludes a four-game road trip looking to snap a three-game losing streak while looking to send off leading scorer
Kevyn Green on a positive note. Green, whose eligibility officially expires prior to the start of classes that begin on Wednesday, leads the Southland Conference in scoring (18.8) and has posted six games scoring at least 20 points.
Patrick Sullivan, who leads all SLC players with four double-doubles on the season, is next in scoring for Southeastern at 12.1 points while leading the team in rebounds (7.7) and blocked shots (2.4).
Warrell Span (11.5),
Chris Cyprian (8.4) and
Robert Tibbs (7.6) follow in the scoring column with freshman
Brandon Fortenberry (6.8) fourth in the Southland Conference with 4.9 assists per game.
The Lions rank fourth in the Southland Conference in scoring offense (77.2) while ranking second in field goal percentage (.485) and assists (17.2) and third in 3-point field goal percentage (.370) and rebounding margin (+5.5).
Lamar (9-4, 0-0 SLC), which boasts the league's best record during non-conference play, is 6-0 at home that included an 85-79 win over Texas Tech last month. The Cardinals enter the game as the SLC's second-best scoring team at 79.1 points per game with Kenny Dawkins ranked third among individuals at 17.4.
Brandon McThay (14.3) follows Dawkins in scoring while Jay Brown, the SLC's top rebounder at 9.6 boards per game, is next at 13.6 points. Tristan Worrell (9.6), Coy Custer (6.0) and Anthony Miles (6.0) are next in scoring for the Cardinals.
Lamar leads the all-time series that dates back to the 1958-59 campaign, 18-14, and is 6-4 against Southeastern in Beaumont since re-joining the SLC in the 1998-99 season. The teams split the season series last year with each team winning on its home court. Lamar claimed the first meeting with an 88-74 win before Southeastern posted an 83-73 win in the regular-season finale.
