HAMMOND, La. – Winning on the road has been a tall order in the Southland Conference in 2016-17.

    Conference teams are 44-19 at home in league games with only two teams, Sam Houston State and New Orleans, having winning records on the road. The Bearkats and Privateers just happen to stand one-two in the conference standings going into this weekend's action.

    Southeastern Louisiana head coach Jay Ladner knows for his Lions to join those teams in the conference race, they will have to find a way to win away from Hammond. Southeastern (13-10, 6-4 Southland) has gotten the job done at home, going 5-1 in conference play and 10-1 overall in the University Center. The 10 wins are the most at home for the Lions since the 2011-12 season.

    But Southeastern has struggled on the road, where it is 3-9 overall, 1-3 in conference. The Lions showed promise on its last road trip, battling back in the second half from a 16-point deficit at Sam Houston last Saturday before falling short, 71-69.

    Southeastern will now look to build off that strong finish, and a 72-44 win over Nicholls at home on Wednesday, when the Lions travel to Central Arkansas (5-18, 4-6 Southland) Saturday for a 4 p.m. tip-off in the Farris Center. Southeastern is 4-6 all-time at Central Arkansas and has dropped three straight in Conway.

    "It's been a tough place to play," said Ladner, who is 2-2 against UCA but has lost both his games on the road against the Bears. "We haven't broken through up there yet so that's a great challenge in itself. Every game is critical with eight games left. We got off to a good start in the second half (against Sam Houston). We've shown that we've certainly been more competitive at home, winning 17 of our last 18 there. We have to take that same formula of success on the road. Central Arkansas will be a tough, tall task for us."

    Saturday's game will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app. Links to live video and live stats, provided by Central Arkansas, will be accessible on the men's basketball schedule page at LionSports.net.

    Southeastern out-scored Nicholls 47-18 in the second half in its victory on Wednesday. The Lions limited the Colonels to 14 field goals and 29.8 percent from the field, including 21.7 percent in the second half, and held a 49-21 advantage in rebounding.

    Junior forward Davon Hayes scored 20 points – his fifth straight game in double figures. Sophomore forward Moses Greenwood had his third double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, scoring in double figures for the 13th time in the past 14 games. Junior forward Eddy Polanco added 11 points while tying a career-high with nine rebounds.

    Southeastern goes into Saturday's game averaging 72.3 points per game on 45.7 percent shooting, including a league second-best 38.4 percent on 3-pointers. The Lions lead the conference in scoring defense (68.1 ppg) while ranking second in field goal percentage defense (43.0 percent). They are averaging 36.2 boards while allowing 32.0 - third best in the Southland.

    Hayes leads Southeastern with 13.4 points per game. Greenwood is averaging 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds and ranks fifth in the Southland in field goal percentage (.576). Sophomore guard Marlain Veal is fifth in the conference in assists (4.3 apg) while averaging 12.8 points. Junior guard Jabbar Singleton (4.4 ppg, 65 assists) and junior forward James Currington (8.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg) are the other projected starters for the Lions.

    Southeastern will look to carry over Wednesday's defensive effort against a Central Arkansas squad that shot 56.3 percent against Northwestern State on Thursday. Junior guard Jordan Howard poured in 33 points to lead five Bears in double figures. Senior Derrick Brooks flirted with a triple-double with 22 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Junior guard Mathieu Kamba added 16 points, freshman guard Darraja Parnell 12 and senior guard Jeff Lowery 11.

    Howard is second in the Southland with 19.8 points per game and leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.469), 3-pointers made (3.3 per game) and free throw percentage (.922). He also leads the Bears with 68 assists and 31 steals.

    Kamba is sixth in rebounding (7.1 rpg) and field goal percentage (.547) and ninth in scoring (14.9 ppg). Brooks is averaging 13.3 points and 6.7 rebounds while recording 67 assists and a team-high 21 blocks. Lowery (6.7 ppg, 61 assists, 25 steals) and Parnell (5.3 ppg) are also projected to start for UCA.

    Central Arkansas is averaging 73.0 points on 43.7 percent from the field while ranking fourth in the conference in 3-point shooting (.362). The Bears are allowing 84.3 points on 47.2 percent shooting and are being out-rebounded 37.7-34.8.

    Southeastern leads Central Arkansas 13-6 in the series that dates back to the 2006-07 season. The teams split in 2015-16 with the Bears taking an 88-72 win in Conway before the Lions won 75-56 in Hammond.

    Southeastern will be back on the road Wednesday, traveling to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for a 7 p.m. tip-off.