HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball team returns to the University Center this weekend for a pair of Southland Conference games against Abilene Christian and the University of New Orleans.
Southeastern (8-17, 5-7 Southland) and the Wildcats (9-16, 3-9 Southland) tip at 7 p.m. Saturday as the second half of a doubleheader featuring the Lady Lion and Abilene Christian squads. The Lions and UNO (7-14, 3-9 Southland) face off at 7 p.m. Monday.
Saturday's doubleheader will be broadcast on ESPN3 as part of the Southland Conference TV Network. It will be the second meeting this season between the Lions and ACU. Back on Feb. 10, Southeastern defeated the Wildcats, 65-52, in Abilene, Texas.
Foam noodles will be handed out to the first 200 fans to arrive Saturday and a men's basketball alumni reunion will be held as part of the game festivities.
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 apps. Live statistics will be provided, as will streaming video on LionVision (subscription required). Links for audio, video, stats, tickets and promotional info are available on the basketball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
The Lions led by one at the half this past Monday, but could not hold on to the lead in the second half as McNeese State snapped the Lions' three-game winning streak by a score of 74-69 at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Jackson (15.1 points per game),
DeVonte Upson (10.4 ppg) and
Onochie Ochie (8.4 ppg) lead Southeastern on offense. Upson is averaging a team-best 7.4 rebounds per contest, fifth most in the Southland Conference. Jackson is fourth in the Southland in assists with an average of 4.8 per game.
The Lions are shooting 45.1 percent from the floor (621-of-1,377), 31.9 percent from three-point range (158-of-495) and 65.6 percent on free throws (299-of-456). Southeastern is averaging 67.9 points and 33.2 rebounds per game.
ACU has dropped nine-consecutive games since opening conference play with three-straight wins.
Harrison Hawkins (13.5 ppg), Parker Wentz (11.7 ppg), LaDarrien Williams (10.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and Austin Cooke (10.2 pgg, 5.8 rpg) are the Wildcats top players.
ACU is shooting 41.9 percent from the floor (578-of-1,379), 39.3 percent from three-point range (203-of-517) and 71.7 percent on free throws (302-of-421). The Wildcats are averaging 66.4 points and 29.7 rebounds per game.
UNO, which has dropped four of its last five games, hosts Northwestern State as part of a conference doubleheader Saturday at the Lakefront Arena.
Christavious Gill (12.4 ppg), Kevin Hill (11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Kevin Brown (10.1 ppg) are the Privateers key players.
UNO is shooting 43.9 percent from the floor (499-of-1,137), 30.6 percent from three-point range (71-of-232) and 66.7 percent on free throws (378-of-567). The Privateers are averaging 68.9 points and 34.0 rebounds per game.
Tickets for admission to both halves of Saturday's doubleheader are available for purchase on game day at the University Center box office. The University Center box office opens one hour prior to tipoff.
Advanced tickets for individual basketball games can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or by calling the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466.
Courtside Top Cat seats are $25 for an individual game. General admission tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children (age 3-12). Doubleheader prices are $35 for Top Cat seats, $10 for adult general admission and $7 for youth general admission. Southeastern students will be admitted free with a valid university ID card.
Southeastern will return to the road for three games before coming back to the University Center for the regular season finale, March 7, against Nicholls State.
