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CONWAY, Ark. – The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team returns to Southland Conference action on Thursday when it faces Central Arkansas in a televised-contest at the Farris Center.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net. The game will follow the Southeastern-UCA women's game that tips off at 5:30 p.m. Both games will be televised on ESPN3.
Winners of two straight games and five of its last seven, Southeastern (7-11, 5-3 SLC) looks to wrap up the first half of its conference slate with a season-sweep of UCA (8-10, 3-5 SLC). The Lions, who will play seven of their next nine games on the road including the 11th annual Bracketbusters on Feb. 22-23, overcame a 14-point second-half deficit and earned a 72-68 decision over UCA in the previous meeting between the schools on Jan. 5 in the University Center.
Brandon Fortenberry scored a game-high 23 points to lead Southeastern with
Roosevelt Johnson posting a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Lions overcame a blistering first-half performance by UCA as the Bears shot 62 percent (16-for-26) from the floor and 7-for-10 from behind the 3-point line.
After trailing, 41-33, at halftime, Southeastern outscored the Bears, 39-27, in the final 20 minutes holding UCA to 9-for-29 (31 percent) shooting from the floor and 2-for-8 from long range. The Lions also took advantage of 18 turnovers, which led to 26 points while committing just five against the Bears up-tempo scheme.
Fortenberry leads Southeastern, and is 11th in the Southland Conference, in scoring at 13.2 points per game with Johnson next in scoring (11.5 ppg.) while ranking fourth in the league with 8.0 rebounds per contest.
Dre Evans, who is 10th in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (26-for-70, 37.1 percent) is next in scoring for Southeastern with 9.3 points per game followed by
Jeffery Ricard (8.5),
Onochie Ochie (5.9),
Antonnio Benton (5.4) and
Todd Nelson (4.5).
Fortenberry, who is second in school history with 383 assists, is ninth in the league with 2.7 while Ricard leads the conference from the free throw line making 84 percent (43-for-51) of his attempts.
UCA, coached by former Arkansas All-American Corliss Williamson, has won its last three games including home contests against McNeese State (103-98, 3 OT) and Lamar (88-59). The Bears average 79.2 points per game, second in the league behind Division I leader Northwestern State (83.7) and are second in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (36.4 percent).
The Bears are led by Jarvis Garner who is third in the league in scoring (16.1 points), seventh in the league in rebounds (6.9) and third in 3-pointers made per game (2.1). LaQuentin Miles, who missed the previous meeting with Southeastern due to a broken hand, is averaging 15.7 points while Robert Crawford is seventh in the league at 14.5 points.
Southeastern leads the all-time series between the schools, 10-3, including a 7-0 mark in Hammond. The series is tied 3-3 in Conway with UCA winning the last two meetings, including a 64-63 decision as Miles scored 10 points – including his only points of the second half on a three-point play with 11.9 seconds remaining to help the Bears rally from a 10-point deficit.
