HAMMOND – After suffering its first loss at home in 11 games dating back to last season, the Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team opens a two-game road trip on Wednesday when it faces McNeese State in a Southland Conference contest at Burton 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 facing McNeese State (5-11, 0-2 Southland), Southeastern will return to action on Saturday when it visits Stephen F. Austin in a 6 p.m. contest in Nacogdoches, Texas.

Southeastern (10-6, 2-1 Southland) dropped its first contest at home in nine games this season in an 84-79 loss to Sam Houston State on Saturday despite holding the Bearkats to 38 percent from the floor and 5-for-17 (29 percent) from behind the 3-point line. Gary Dixon came off the bench to score a season-high 24 points for the Lions, who fell into a first-place tie in the East Division with Nicholls State.

Damon Forest added 16 points for the Lions while Patrick Sullivan added 12 and Trent Hutchin 11.

Sullivan leads Southeastern in scoring at 14.3 points per game and in rebounds at 8.4. The Southland Conference leader in blocked shots at 3.1 per game, Sullivan is 12th in the nation with 49 blocks on the season and is on pace to break his single-season record (64) set last year.

Forest, a Baton Rouge native and former Central High letterwinner, is next in scoring for the Lions at 12.8 points while Hutchin, a former Woodlawn High product, averages 10.0. Brandon Fortenberry (9.7), Dixon (9.1) and Robert Tibbs (6.9) follow in scoring for Southeastern, which averages 75.9 points per game and is allowing 66.2.

As a team, Southeastern leads the Southland Conference in field goal percentage (47.3 percent), 3-point field goal percentage (39.1 percent), blocked shots (5.6) and field goal defense (38.9 percent). The Lions are second among Southland teams in free throw percentage (72.5 percent), 3-point defense (30.7 percent), assists (16.3) and scoring margin (+9.7).

McNeese State has lost its last five games since a 77-59 win over Southern-New Orleans on Dec. 22. The Cowboys, who are 4-1 at home this season, dropped a 79-78 decision at Lamar on Saturday and opened league play with a 78-69 loss at home to UTSA.

Diego Kapelan leads McNeese State in scoring at 13.1 points per game followed by Patrick Richard at 12.6. Stephan Martin (9.3) and P.J. Alawoya (8.9) are next in scoring for the Cowboys, who average 68.1 points per game.

McNeese leads the all-time series, 56-35, but Southeastern has won the last four outings including a 71-61 decision in Lake Charles last season.