KATY, Texas – Southeastern Louisiana defeated the University of New Orleans, 84-74, Wednesday in the opening game of the Southland Conference Basketball Tournament at the Merrell Center.

It was the third-straight win for Southeastern (12-20) over the Privateers (10-20) this season.

"The challenge tonight was the fact we had played them twice already in the last two weeks," head coach Jay Ladner said. "Playing them a third time was going to be tough. We knew what to expect from them, but they also know what to expect from us. I thought our guys were ready for it and executed our game plan."

The Lions won the opening tip and Joshua Filmore (19:29) put Southeastern up on the opening possession, 3-0, hitting from the corner.

UNO built an early 11-7 lead, using a pair of 3-pointers from Nate Frye and one from Christavious Gill (17:09). The Privateers threw up another three attempt, but Zay Jackson got a hand on Gill's shot for the block.

At the other end of the floor, Filmore found Jackson open for three (16:31) and the Lions scored the next seven points for a 14-11 lead heading into the first media timeout (14:36).

Southeastern continued its run, outscoring the Privateers 16-3 during the stretch. The Lions pushed their lead into double digits on a Dimi Cook layup (9:38), 27-17.

Filmore, a junior from Orlando, Florida, picked off a pass at the 6:01 mark, setting up Zay Jackson down the floor for a layup and a 37-25 lead. The 12-point advantage was the Lions' biggest lead of the half.

Jackson, a senior from Hammond, Louisiana, nailed the final shot of the half, a 3-pointer with 22 seconds to play, giving Southeastern a 49-42 edge.

Both teams shot 50 percent or better from the floor in the first half (SLU 57.1 percent, UNO 50.0 percent).

The Privateers scored the first six points of the second half, cutting Southeastern's lead to one, 49-48, just 40 seconds in.

Marlain Veal, a freshman from Gretna, Louisiana, scored the next five points, putting the Lions up, 54-48.

UNO kept it within a possession or two over the next four minutes, but Southeastern embarked on an 13-2 run that began at the 13:21 mark a Filmore 3-pointer. JaMichael Hawkins, a senior from Raymond, Mississippi, capped the run with a layup at the 10:15 mark, extending the Lions lead to a game-high 14 points, 72-58.

Jackson led five Lions in double-digit scoring with 17 points. He was joined in double figures by Filmore (13), Veal (11), Currington (10) and Jordan Capps (10). Capps also hauled in 10 rebounds before fouling out for a double-double.

Southeastern shot 49.2 percent (31-of-63) from the floor, including 48.0 percent (12-of-25) from 3-point range. The Lions converted 10-of-12 (83.3 percent) from the free throw line and out-rebounded UNO, 38-33.

Frye led all players with 21 points, while Gill (18) and Kevin Hill (10) also scored in double figures for UNO. Hill grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.

UNO shot 42.1 percent (24-of-57) from the floor, including 35.5 percent (11-of-31) from 3-point range. The Privateers converted 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) from the free throw line.

Southeastern (9-9 Southland), the No. 5 seed, advances to face No. 4-seeded Houston Baptist (16-15, 10-8 Southland) at 5 p.m. Thursday.

The Southeastern Sports Radio Network broadcast, with Lance Pittman on the call, can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online at www.LionSports.net or via the TuneIn Radio app. Fans can also follow live statistics. Links for audio, video and stats are available on both the front page and basketball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.

In addition to coverage on ESPN3, WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app, Thursday's second round men's games will air on ESPN College Extra. The service is available on DirecTV (789), Verizon Fios (322) and AT&T Uverse (615).

Tickets to the 2016 Southland Conference Basketball Tournament are available at the Merrell Center box office beginning Thursday at 4 p.m. General admission tickets for the first three rounds are $15 apiece. Tickets to each men's and women's championship games are $10 for general admission.


SOUTHEASTERN LA. 84, NEW ORLEANS 74

NEW ORLEANS (10-20, 6-12 SLC)
Frye, Nate 7-11 2-4 21; Gill, Christavious 6-19 4-5 18; Hill, Kevin 4-8 2-5 10; Cohen, Danny 3-8 1-1 9; Reed, Cameron 2-5 0-0 6; Thomas, Erik 1-4 2-2 4; Zeno, Michael 1-2 2-4 4; Thibodeaux, Travin 0-0 2-2 2; Avery, Travis 0-0 0-0 0; Edwards, Coleman 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-57 15-23 74.

SOUTHEASTERN LA. (12-20, 9-9 SLC)
Jackson, Zay 6-10 0-0 17; Filmore, Joshua 4-10 2-2 13; Veal, Marlain 4-10 0-0 11; Currington, James 4-7 2-3 10; Capps, Jordan 5-9 0-0 10; Hawkins, JaMichael 4-8 0-0 9; Greenwood, Moses 2-4 2-2 6; Nelson, Dominic 1-4 2-2 4; Cook, Dimi 1-1 2-3 4. Totals 31-63 10-12 84.

New Orleans................... 42 32 - 74
Southeastern La............. 49 35 - 84

3-point goals--New Orleans 11-31 (Frye, Nate 5-8; Cohen, Danny 2-5; Gill, Christavious 2-13; Reed, Cameron 2-5), Southeastern La. 12-25 (Jackson, Zay 5-8; Filmore, Joshua 3-8; Veal, Marlain 3-5; Hawkins, JaMichael 1-4). Fouled out--New Orleans-Thibodeaux, Travin, Southeastern La.-Capps, Jordan; Nelson, Dominic. Rebounds--New Orleans 33 (Hill, Kevin 8), Southeastern La. 38 (Capps, Jordan 10). Assists--New Orleans 16 (Frye, Nate 5; Gill, Christavious 5), Southeastern La. 22 (Filmore, Joshua 7). Total fouls—New Orleans 17, Southeastern La. 23. Technical fouls--New Orleans-None, Southeastern La.-None.
Game 1 of Southland Conference Tournament