HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team got double-doubles from both
Roger McFarlane and
Roscoe Eastmond, who set a new career high in assists, in a convincing 87-64 win over the Loyola Wolf Pack Saturday afternoon at the Pride Roofing University Center.
Nick Caldwell got the scoring started with a lay-up on Southeastern's opening possession to give the Lions (5-8, 0-0 SLC) the early advantage. Loyola (4-8, 3-2 SSAC) answered with a three-pointer two possessions later to take its first, and only, lead of the game at 3-2 before Caldwell answered with a three on SLU's ensuing possession. That was the first three of eight-straight Lions points as a three by Eastmond gave SLU a 10-3 lead. The Wolf Pack, who was using this game as an exhibition, kept things close throughout most of the first half, getting that deficit down to four points as a pair of free throws made the score 20-16 with 8:47 left before halftime.
That's when
Kam Burton got hot, helping Southeastern start to pull away. The freshman hit four three-pointers over a two-minute span, all part of a 20-6 Southeastern run which pushed the SLU lead out to 18 points as
Brody Rowbury hit a pair of free throws which put the Lions up 40-22 with 2:30 left in the first half. SLU ended up taking a 42-27 lead into the halftime locker room.
Southeastern continued to add the pressure to start the second half, pushing the advantage out to 20 points for the first time as
Nick Caldwell scored while getting fouled. He completed the old-fashioned three-point play to put the Lions up 49-29 with 17:47 left in the contest. Loyola battled to get back into the game, cutting that lead down to 16 points following a three-pointer with 16 minutes left, but the Wolf Pack got no closer the rest of the way.
Alec Woodard hit a three on Southeastern's ensuing possession, starting a 13-5 Lions run which Caldwell completed with a pair of free throws with 11:39 left which made the score 66-42 SLU. The Wolf Pack answered with a 10-4 run to get the Southeastern lead back below 20 points at 70-52 following a pair of free throws with 8:41 left in the contest. A three by McFarlane on SLU's next possession put the advantage back over 20 points to stay, starting a 10-2 SLU run which was capped by Eastmond hitting a three to give Southeastern its largest lead of the contest at 26 points, 80-54, with 5:45 left. SLU's lead hit 26 points three more times over the closing moments, the final time on a pull-up jumper in the paint by
Anthony Bittar which made it 87-61 Lions with a minute left before the Wolf Pack closed the game's scoring with a three pointer.
After a tough shooting game in the last contest, Caldwell was dialed back in as he hit five of his eight shot attempts, including his lone three-point attempt, and all six of his free throw attempts for a team-high 17 points. He also grabbed three rebounds, had an assist, and a steal.
McFarlane had his second double-double of the season, hitting six of 11 from the field, one of two from deep, and two of three from the stripe for 15 points while also grabbing a season-high 14 rebounds which was just one off of his career high. He also had three assists and a steal.
Burton's run of four three-pointers late in the first half propelled him to ultimately finishing with 15 points in the contest to go along with three rebounds and two steals.
Eastmond collected his first double-double of the season as he dished out a career-high 13 assists while scoring 10 points on four-of-nine shooting from the field including two-of-five from deep. He added four rebounds to his stat line as well.
Woodard wrapped up the team's top scorers, hitting three of his six field goal attempts, two of four coming from beyond the arc, and hit two of his three free throw attempts to finish with 10 points as well while getting two rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
With the calendar set to flip to 2024, Southeastern's schedule now turns to Southland Conference action which starts on Sat., Jan. 6
th as the Lions start a three-game road trip, all within the borders of the state of Louisiana, by making the trip down I-55 to take on New Orleans. Next Saturday's conference-opener against the Privateers (5-8, 0-0 SLC) tips off at 4:00 p.m., or about 30 minute following the women's contest, at the Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena. The game will be live streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard, thanks to the Southeastern Sports Radio Network, on 90.9 FM The Lion in the Hammond/Ponchatoula area and worldwide at LionSports.net/ListenLive or LionUpRadio.org or on smart devices through the Lions Gameday Experience app, the TuneIn Radio app, or the MyTuner Radio app. Live stats will also be available through LionSports.net.
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.
