BEAUMONT, Texas – Coming off a thrilling come-from-behind victory on Saturday against Central Arkansas, the Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team returns to action when it faces defending Southland Conference Tournament champion Lamar on Monday at the Montagne Center.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game, which will follow the Southeastern-Lamar women's 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.
In its last game, Southeastern (3-9, 1-1 SLC) earned its first league win of the season as it rallied from a 14-point deficit to edge UCA, 72-68, in the University Center. The Lions used a 29-7 run during a 12:10 span in the second half and held the Bears without a field goal for 11:25.
Brandon Fortenberry, who scored 10 points in a 16-2 run, scored a season-high 23 points to lead Southeastern with
Roosevelt Johnson notching his 13th career double-double with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. As a team, Southeastern sank a season-high eight 3-pointers while committing five turnovers – the fewest by the Lions in the Jim Yarbrough era.
Fortenberry, who has scored in double figures in eight straight games, leads Southeastern in scoring at 12.9 points per game with Johnson averaging 10.7 points and team-high 8.0 rebounds.
Jeffery Ricard (9.7 ppg.),
Dre Evans (8.6) and
Antonnio Benton (5.8) are next in scoring for Southeastern, which has averaged 72.0 points in its two Southland Conference games and 60.5 points overall.
Lamar (2-12, 0-2), under second-year coach Pat Knight, claimed the Southland Conference Tournament title last year but has had to replace his top six players. The Cardinals, who opened the season with 11 straight road games before defeating LIU-Brooklyn in its home opener on Dec. 29, opened league play last week with losses at Stephen F. Austin (79-43) and Northwestern State (86-58).
Rhon Mitchell leads Lamar in scoring at 10.6 points per game followed by returning letterwinners Stan Brown (9.9) and Donley Minor (9.0). Amos Wilson (7.7) and Keilan Blanks (5.6) are next in scoring for Lamar, which averages 58.0 points per game while allowing 77.9.
Lamar leads the all-time series that dates back to the 1958-59 season, 22-16, and have won the last three meetings. Southeastern's last victory in the series came in the 2010-11 campaign as Gary Dixon tipped in a Trent Hutchin attempt at the buzzer for an 89-87 win on Feb. 2, 2011.
