HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball squad hosts Southland Conference foes Houston Baptist and Sam Houston State in a pair of contests Saturday and Monday at the University Center.
Southeastern (3-11, 0-1 Southland) and the Huskies (6-6, 1-1 Southland) tip at 7 p.m. Saturday as the second half of a doubleheader featuring the Lady Lion and HBU squads. The Lions and Sam Houston State (10-4, 2-0 Southland) face off at 7 p.m. Monday.
All of the games can be heard in the Hammond, Louisiana, area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and either the KSLU or TuneIn Radio smartphone app. Live statistics will be provided, as will streaming video on LionVision (subscription required). Links for audio, stats, tickets and video are available on the basketball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
Nashville recording artist Travis Clark will sing the national anthem prior to the Lions' Saturday contest. Clark, a native of Sumrall, MS, has shared the stage with artists such as Jason Aldean, Sammy Kershaw, Randy Travis and Craig Morgan. His first album, titled "Somewhere in Mississippi", was released in 2009 and his second album, "Ready When You Are", is set to drop this month.
Fans will have a chance to win Southeastern prizes by playing basketball-themed bingo at Monday's game against the Bearkats.
Southeastern dropped its Southland opener, 81-66, at defending conference champ Stephen F. Austin this past Monday.
Zay Jackson led the Lions in scoring, pouring in 18 points in his return to the lineup. Jackson missed Southeastern's games at Central Florida and South Florida with an injury.
Andrew Guillory and
Cedric Jenkins added 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Onochie Ochie grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.
Jackson (15.9 points per game),
Joshua Filmore (12.9 ppg),
DeVonte Upson (9.1 ppg) and Guillory (8.7 ppg) lead Southeastern on offense. Jackson (4.0 assists per game) and Filmore (2.1 apg) have split time running the point. Upson is averaging a team-best 7.5 rebounds per contest, fifth most in the Southland Conference. Filmore's 2.6 three-pointers per game leads the conference.
The Lions are shooting 42.7 percent from the floor (332-of-777), 30.9 percent from three-point range (87-of-282) and 68.9 percent on free throws (168-of-244). Southeastern is averaging 65.6 points and 32.6 rebounds per game.
HBU defeated McNeese State, 68-56, Monday in Lake Charles. Colter Lasher (12.0 ppg), Anthony Odunsi (10.8 ppg) and Marcel Smith (8.8 ppg) lead the team offensively. Josh Ibarra (6.9 rpg) and Ricmonds Vilde (6.4 rpg) are the squad's top rebounders.
The Huskies are shooting 47.0 percent from the floor (336-of-715), 32.1 percent from three-point range (60-of-187) and 71.1 percent on free throws (170-of-239). HBU is averaging 75.2 points and 40.7 rebounds per game.
Sam Houston State, which plays at the University of New Orleans on Saturday, has knocked off Incarnate Word and Northwestern State to open conference play.
DeMarcus Gatlin (11. ppg, 5.5 rpg), Kaheem Ransom (10.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Dakarai Henderson (9.3 ppg), Jabari Peters (9.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Michael Holyfield (9.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg) lead the Bearkats.
Sam Houston State is shooting 43.2 percent from the floor (367-of-849), 32.7 percent from three-point range (115-of-352) and 70.2 percent on free throws (245-of-349). The Bearkats are averaging 78.1 points and 44.8 rebounds per game.
Advanced tickets for individual basketball games can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets. The University Center box office opens one hour prior to tipoff.
Courtside Top Cat seats are $25. General admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children (age 3-12). Southeastern students will be admitted free with a valid university ID card.
Tickets for admission to both halves of Saturday's doubleheader are available for purchase on game day at the University Center box office.
Following the pair of home games, Southeastern will once again return to the road. The Lions travel to Incarnate Word (Jan. 17) and Lamar (Jan. 19) to continue Southland play.
