HAMMOND, La. – After helping the Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team to a pair of crucial home wins over New Orleans and Nicholls, Gus Okafor was tabbed Southland Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday.
 
Okafor, out of Baltimore, Maryland, led the Lions in scoring in SLU's 84-79 win over New Orleans (16-10, 9-3 SLC) Thursday. The Lions' forward scored 21 points, snatched 7 rebounds and also had two steals in the victory.
 
Saturday, Okafor helped the Lions come back from a 21-point hole against Nicholls (19-10, 9-3 SLC) in an 83-81 triumph. He scored 17 points, 14 in the second half, and grabbed 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season. The Eleanor Roosevelt High School grad drilled two huge three-pointers during Southeastern's 11-0 run late in the game. Okafor also tied the game at 79-79 after an offensive rebound and a lay-up.
 
The Lions (17-13, 9-4 Southland) would win in thrilling fashion, ending Nicholls' eight-game winning streak, as Ryan Burkhardt tipped in an offensive rebound as time expired.
 
Okafor is in the top 10 in the Southland in league play in scoring (16.8 ppg), rebounding (7.1 rpg), field goals made (69), and free throw percentage (82.5).
 
Next up, Okafor and the Lions will take on Northwestern State (9-21, 5-8 Southland) at 3 p.m. in Natchitoches, Louisiana in the regular season finale. With a win, SLU would clinch at least the two-seed in next week's Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas.
 
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 @LionUpMBB and @DavidKieferSLU on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net/tickets. Southeastern is implementing mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.