HAMMOND – After not playing in its own building for the last 38 days, the Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball returns home to the University Center on Saturday when it faces Stephen F. Austin in the Southland Conference opener for both teams.
Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern will celebrate Youth Hoops Day and Golden Oldies Day. Tickets are available at the University Center Box Office beginning at noon on Saturday or on-line at www.LionSports.net. Discounted senior citizen tickets for $4 are available at the University Center Box Office. Fans in attendance will be able to play “Basketball Bingo” during the game for cash and other prizes.
Southeastern (6-6) returns to its home floor for the first time since a 111-67 victory over Dillard on Dec. 1 and have played its last seven games on the road. Included in the nearly 2,000-mile journey were stops at nationally-ranked programs UCF and Vanderbilt, SEC opponents Alabama and Ole Miss, in-state rival Southern and neutral site games against Savannah State and Mississippi Valley State.
The Lions, who averaged 100.3 points per game in home wins over Dillard, Millsaps and Loyola, will get a stern test from SFA (9-3) which has posted the league's best record in non-conference play and lead the nation in scoring defense allowing a meager 51.3 points per game.
Baton Rouge native
Trent Hutchin leads Southeastern in scoring at 14.6 points per game followed by
Gary Dixon (10.9),
Brandon Fortenberry (10.5) and
David Ndoumba (10.2).
Roosevelt Johnson (7.7),
Deshawn Patterson (4.9) and
Jason Marks (4.8) are next in scoring for the Lions, who average 71.2 points per game while allowing 69.7.
Ndoumba paces Southeastern in rebounds with 6.8 per game while Fortenberry and Patterson have each dished out a team-high 3.4 assists per game.
SFA, which has held five of its last opponents below 50 points per game, is led in scoring by post player Jereal Scott with 12.5 points. Jordan Glynn, the team's leading rebounder, is next in scoring at 12.0 points with Denzel Barnes (9.0), Eddie Williams (7.9) and Brandon Cutler (5.7) next.
The Lumberjacks, who lead the nation in 3-point field defense (25.3 percent), average 73.8 points per game and shoot 47 percent from the floor as a team.
The game marks the only regular-season meeting between the clubs, which were Southland East rivals the past two seasons. SFA, which leads the all-time series, 24-13, returned to the Southland West this season with Lamar moving back to the East.
