HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team returns to the hardwood on Wednesday when it travels to face Southland Conference rival Texas State at Strahan Coliseum.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.
After picking up its second road win of the season last week, Southeastern (9-11, 3-4 SLC) returned home and fell to in-state rival Nicholls State, 68-65, for the Colonels' first win in Hammond since 2001. The loss moved the Lions to three games behind SLC East leader Stephen F. Austin and two behind the Colonels heading into the midway part of the league schedule.
For the Lions to get back in contention for one of the top two spots in their division, they will have to get past a Texas State (9-11, 2-5 SLC) team that leads the league in scoring (84.7) and is second in the league in 3-pointers made per game (7.8) and 3-point field goal percentage (.366).
Led by
Patrick Sullivan, the team leader in scoring (12.0), rebounds (7.2), field goal percentage (.587) and blocked shots (49), Southeastern has won each of its league contests on Wednesday's while going 0-4 in Saturday contests.
Warrell Span (10.9),
Chris Cyprian (9.5),
Brandon Fortenberry (7.1) and
DeShawn Patterson (3.6) round out the starting lineup for the Lions, who are second in the SLC in field goal percentage (.476) and third in field goal defense (.412). Southeastern, which has won the last nine meetings in the series including five straight in San Marcos, enters the game averaging 72.8 points per game while allowing 68.2.
Texas State snapped a five-game losing streak with an 80-78 win at defending SLC Tournament champion UT Arlington, earning a season sweep in the series. Brent Benson, the sixth-leading scorer in the conference, leads the Bobcats in scoring (15.3) and paces the league with 3.2 3-pointers made per game.
Brandon Bush (14.5), John Rybak (10.0), Ty Gough (6.5) and Corey Jefferson (6.3) round out a balanced Bobcat attack, that ranks fourth in the league in field goal shooting (.454) and is second among league schools in rebounding margin (+3.8).
Following Wednesday's game, Southeastern will return home for a 2 p.m. contest on Saturday against UTSA in a game that will be televised on the Southland Television Network.
