Southeastern Louisiana (4-7) vs. Bradley (7-5)
Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018 | 1 p.m. | Peoria, Ill. | Carver Arena (11,500)
Series History: First Meeting
Television: ESPN+
Radio: KSLU-FM 90.9
            Announcer: Chris Salim
 
Live Stats
Live Audio                                                                                                     

PEORIA, Ill. – The reigning Southland Conference Champion Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball team looks to end a three-game losing streak Saturday when they take on Bradley University at 1 p.m.
 
The Lions (4-7) are coming off a heartbreaking 68-67 loss at Grambling State Wednesday night. SLU had a 63-49 lead when GSU mounted a rally finishing the game on a 19-4 run capped off by a pair of game-winning free throws by Ivy Smith with two seconds left.
 
Despite Wednesday's outcome, Southeastern  got 28 points and 14 rebounds from senior Moses Greenwood. Sophomore Brandon Gonzalez, making his first starting of the season chipped in with eight points including two three-pointers.
 
"I thought for the most part that we played well," said fifth-year SLU men's basketball head coach Jay Ladner. "I was disappointed in the way the game finished though. We have to do a better job of executing down the stretch but we did a good job of putting ourselves in a position to win against a team that is picked to win their league like Grambling. But it's all still a work-in progress and we are getting better game-to-game. I actually thought through 30 minutes of the game that was the best we had looked offensively all season."
 
Southeastern will make the 800-mile trip to Peoria to take on the Braves (7-5) out of the Missouri Valley Conference. Bradley, under fourth-year head coach Brian Wardle, finished the 2017-18 season 20-13 and has been terrific at home winning 17 of their last 21.
 
The Braves are led by preseason second team All-MVC selection Darrell Brown (5-10, 190). The junior guard leads the team in scoring (14.8 ppg), three-pointers made (26) and assists (45) and is one of four players averaging in double figures for the Braves.
 
"The teams in the Midwest, basketball is king in that area of the country," said Ladner. "So we know this is a really good basketball team. Coach Wardle has done a great job and has made progress year-to-year with this team. We know that it's going to be another good battle against a team that is really tight defensively."
 
Saturday's game will be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Lions Game Day Experience, TuneIn Radio and RadioFX apps. The contest will also air on ESPN+.      
 
The Lions will take a week off before returning to action Saturday, Dec. 29 at home against UL-Lafayette at 4 p.m.
 
"I think the break is going to be good for us," said Ladner. "It's been a really tough stretch through the first two months and I think we could all use some time off. But we are going (to Bradley) with the mindset of competing for 40 minutes and then we can all think about the break. But I want us to be ready to go because this is one of our final tune-ups before the conference schedule starts (Wednesday, Jan. 2 at Stephen F. Austin)."  
 
 
HARDWOOD CLUB/S CLUB
 
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the basketball program are encouraged to join the Hardwood Club.  Lion alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letterwinners.
 
All membership fees and donations to Hardwood Club are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern basketball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Basketball, follow @SLU_Hoops and @CoachLadner on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
SEASON OF GIVING
Southeastern Louisiana Athletics, the Southeastern Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Office of Multicultural and International Student Affairs will hold a food drive throughout the months of November and December. Fans who bring one of the requested items to the University Center (game day only) or the Dugas Center for Southeastern Athletics will receive a voucher for a discounted ticket.