Northwestern State (11-17, 6-9 Southland) at Southeastern (14-14, 10-5 Southland)
Saturday, Mar. 2, 2019 | 4 p.m. | Hammond, La. |University Center (7,500)
Series History: Northwestern State leads 85-52
Last Meeting: Lions 69, NSU 53 – (Jan. 26, 2019 – Natchitoches, La.)
Television: Southland Digital Network/Southeastern Channel
Radio: 90.9 KSLU                    
Announcer: Chris Salim                                 
                                              
Live Video

Live Audio

Live Stats
 
HAMMOND, La. – The reigning Southland Conference Champion Southeastern Louisiana men's basketball team returns home to face Northwestern State Saturday at the University Center at 4 p.m.
                                                              
Saturday is Senior Day for Southeastern as the program will honor seniors Marlain Veal, Moses Greenwood, Keith Charleston, D'Angelo West and Kajon Brown. The ceremony will take place at approximately 3:20 p.m. following the completion of the SLU women's game vs. NSU.
 
The Lions (14-14, 10-5 Southland), following a bye Wednesday night, come into Saturday's contest a half game behind third-place New Orleans (16-11, 11-5 Southland) in the conference standings and one game behind second place Abilene Christian (22-6, 11-4 Southland)
 
"One of our program goals has been to be playing meaningful games in February," said fifth-year SLU head basketball coach Jay Ladner. "And we have been able to do that the last few years so I like the position we are in. But I try not to talk to our guys about that because we have to think about what we can control and what happens on the floor when we play."
 
SLU will be looking for the season sweep over NSU following their win Jan. 26 at Prather Coliseum in Natchitoches, Louisiana, 69-53.
 
The Lions held the Demons to just 34 percent shooting (18-for-52) and won the rebounding battle, 40-31.
 
Veal led the Lions past NSU with 21 points while sophomore Brandon Gonzalez added 15 points on five three-pointers. The Demons were led by pre-season first team All-Southland forward Ishmael Lane, who had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
 
The Lions are coming off a statement win last Saturday at ACU, 75-66. SLU was led by Greenwood with 27 points and 11 rebounds. The Sharon, Mississippi native leads the Southland in field goals made (184). The Velma Jackson grad is also fourth in the league in scoring (16.6), third in rebounding (7.6) and field goal percentage (.606) and seventh in blocked shots (1.1). With the win, the Lions clinched a spot in the conference tournament for the seventh straight year.
 
"It's a sense a relief and a sub goal (to make the conference tournament)," said Ladner. "But we of course want to play for a conference championship and get to the NCAA Tournament which is our major goal. We also want to have a winning season and qualify for the conference tournament as well so it's nice that we've accomplished some of the goals that we had but we are looking for more."
 
The Demons (11-17, 6-9 Southland), after defeating Incarnate Word Wednesday night, are in a four-way tie for the final spot in the conference tournament with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Central Arkansas and Houston Baptist.
 
Lane, a senior from Port Allen, Louisiana, leads the Demons in scoring (13.9), rebounding (9.4), blocked shots (60), steals (24), field goals made (150) and free throws made (73).
 
Saturday's game will be broadcast by the Southeastern Channel through the Southland Digital Network and can be heard live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Lions Game Day Experience and TuneIn Radio apps.
 
After Saturday's game, Southeastern will host UNO Wednesday night at the University Center before wrapping up the regular season at Nicholls (12-16, 5-10 Southland) Saturday, Mar. 9.
 
INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN BASKETBALL WITH JAY LADNER
Each Monday night at 7 p.m., beginning Jan. 7th, 'Inside Southeastern Basketball with Jay Ladner' broadcasts live on 90.9 KSLU from Rainbow Daiquiris at 14384 West Thomas Street. Talk college hoops with Coach Ladner and host Allen Waddell, cover the finer points of each game and preview upcoming games. If you can't join the crowd, you can submit a question at www.LionSports.net for the "Ask the Coach" segment. Inside Southeastern Basketball with Jay Ladner airs each Monday night during the Lions' Southland Conference schedule on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network.
 
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.