HAMMOND – After a rugged non-conference schedule that featured games against Florida, Wisconsin, Marquette and New Mexico State, the Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team opens Southland Conference action on Thursday when it hosts league newcomer and preseason favorite Oral Roberts at the University Center.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. The first-ever meeting on the hardwood between the schools will follow the women's game that will start at 5:15. The game is the first of 18 Southland Conference games for both Southeastern (2-8) and ORU (5-7) as the league will play a Thursday-Saturday doubleheader format.
The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), on the internet at www.LionSports.net, on the KSLU iPhone app and TuneIn Radio. A live video stream, courtesy of LionVision, is also available through the Fan Zone on www.LionSports.net.
Thursday's game is also “Take a Kid to the Game Day” with all children, ages 12 and under, receiving free admission with the purchase of an adult ticket. Tickets are available by calling the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or beginning at 4:15 p.m. at the University Center Box Office.
In its last contest, Southeastern snapped a five-game losing streak as it closed out non-conference action with a 71-61 victory over Spring Hill College on Dec. 29.
Roosevelt Johnson, who was named Wednesday as the Louisiana Men's Basketball Player of the Week, posted his 12th career double-double with 21 points and 18 rebounds in the victory.
Dre Evans and
Jeffery Ricard added 14 points each for the Lions while
Brandon Fortenberry added a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Fortenberry leads Southeastern in scoring at 11.8 points per game with Ricard (9.7) and Johnson (9.3) following. Evans (7.7) and
Antonnio Benton (6.3) are next in scoring for the Lions, who average 58.2 points per game.
Johnson, who posted his second 18-rebound game of the season, is fourth in the Southland Conference in rebounds (7.7) and is followed by Fortenberry (5.2), Benton (4.9) and
Jan Petrovcic (3.9).
ORU, which will play its first season in the Southland Conference after posting a 27-7 overall record and 17-1 mark last year in the Summit League, is averaging 68.7 points per game. Four players are averaging in double figures for the Golden Eagles, paced by Warren Niles, who leads the Southland Conference at 19.7 points per game while shooting a league-best 49 percent from behind the 3-point line.
Shawn Glover (12.3), Damen Bell-Holter (11.1) and Steven Roundtree (10.0) are next in scoring for ORU with Bell-Holter ranking second in the league with 8.8 rebounds.
After facing ORU, Southeastern will remain at home as it will host Central Arkansas on Saturday in a 4 p.m. contest.
