HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University men's basketball team kicks off 2024 with the first full week of Southland Conference play, starting a three-game road trip with games at New Orleans on Saturday and Nicholls on Monday.
 
Southeastern (5-8, 0-0 SLC) will tip off against New Orleans (5-8, 0-0 SLC) at 4:00 p.m. at the Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena, or approximately 30 minutes following the women's game, on Saturday. Monday's game against Nicholls (5-8, 0-0 SLC) is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m. at the David R. Stopher Gymnasium. Both games 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 the host institutions.
 
The Lions are looking to extend their longest win streak of the season which currently sits at three-straight after ending non-conference play and the 2023 portion of the schedule with an 87-64 win over Loyola-New Orleans. SLU got double-doubles from both Roger McFarlane, 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Roscoe Eastmond, 10 points and a career high 13 assists, in the win over the Wolf Pack as everyone began their New Year's weekend celebrations.
 
Nick Caldwell led the Lions in scoring in the win over Loyola with 17 points as he hit five of his eight shot attempts, hit his only three-point shot, and connected on all six of his free throw attempts.
 
Kam Burton went off during a four-minute span during the first half where he hit four three-pointers in quick succession against the Wolf Pack. He ended the contest matching McFarlane's total of 15 points while also grabbing three rebounds and a pair of steals.
 
Alec Woodard hit 50% of his shot attempts, going three-of-six from the field and two-of-four from three to go with two made free throws in three attempts to finish with 10 points, just like Eastmond. He also snatched two rebounds, a steal, and dished out an assist as well.
 
McFarlane enters Southland play as SLU's top scorer and rebounder, averaging 13.5 points and 6.9 rebounds a game. He hits 41.7% from the field and 33.3% from three on the year.
 
Caldwell continues to be right on McFarlane's heels in both of those categories, averaging 13.4 points and 5.5 rebounds a game. He hit 53.3% of his shot attempts and 43.8% from three while leading the team in blocks by averaging 0.8 per game.
 
Eastmond's career day as a distributor moved him up to an average of 4.8 assists per game for the year, best on the team, while averaging 6.8 points per game on 38.9% shooting and 34.4% from deep.
 
The Lions average 67.9 points per game and hit 42.1% of their shots from the field and 32.4% from above the three-point arc. SLU gives up 72.2 points per game following non-conference play as opponents hit 44.2% of the shots taken and 32.1% of three-point attempts against Southeastern.
 
After a 2-0 start to its season, New Orleans has lost eight of its last 11 contests, including four of the last five and two straight entering SLC action. UNO's final non-conference contest saw the Privateers drop an 80-51 decision at Stephen F. Austin, a game which was only separated by six points at halftime before SFA put up 52 points while holding UNO to just 29 over the last 20 minutes.
 
Jordan Johnson was the lone Privateer to reach double figures in the game against the Lumberjacks, scoring 12 points while grabbing two rebounds, getting a pair of assists, and gathering two steals as well.
 
Johnson is UNO's leading scorer for the year, averaging 21.1 points per game on 39% shooting while hitting 35.8% from deep. He's also the Privateers' top distributor, averaging four assists a game.
 
Khaleb Wilson-Rouse is the only other Privateer averaging double-figures in scoring, putting in 10.4 points per game on 41.2% shooting and 29.8% from above the arc.
 
UNO's top rebounder is Jamond Vincent, who grabs 5.9 boards per contest while averaging 7.5 points on 40.6% shooting and 13.3% from long range.
 
The Privateers average 74.4 points per game and hit 41.1% of their shots, including 29.6% from three, as a team. UNO gives up 76.6 points per game to their opponents who hit 44.4% from the field and 29.6% from distance as well.
 
UNO leads the all-time series against Southeastern 19-12. Southeastern had a four-game win streak over the Privateers snapped in the Southland Conference Championship Tournament as UNO ended SLU's 2022-23 season 82-78 in the tournament's quarterfinal round. That represented the third-straight season where the Lions and Privateers met up in the SLC Tournament. Saturday's game is the first of three-straight games at home for UNO to open Southland play.
 
Nicholls, much like Southeastern, finished its 2023 by picking up a home win over a NAIA program to close out non-conference action as the Colonels defeated Mobile 74-65 on the Saturday before the new year. That win ended a two-game slide for Nicholls which had lost five of the last six before the game against Mobile.
 
Byron Ireland had a day against the Rams, hitting on nine of his 14 shot attempts, including two of five from three, and all four of his free throw attempts for a game-high 24 points while also collecting four rebounds, an assist, and blocked a shot.
 
Diante Smith came off the bench and put in 20 points against Mobile, hitting eight of his 15 shot attempts and two of seven from long range while hitting both of his free throws. He just missed a double-double by a single rebound as he grabbed nine boards while filling up the stat sheet with four assists and four steals.
 
Jamal West, Jr. was the final Colonel to score double digits against the Rams as he finished with 13 points while securing seven rebounds, blocked three Mobile shots, and dished out a pair of assists.
 
West, Jr. is one of five Nicholls players averaging 10 or more points on the season, leading the team by scoring 16.5 points per game while hitting 50.4% of his shots and 36.4% from above the arc. He also grabs a team-high 8.8 rebounds and doles out a team best 2.7 assists a game.
 
Smith puts down 13.6 points per game while hitting 39.5% of his shots and 36.1% from long range. He also secures 6.4 rebounds a game on the season.
 
Ireland scores 12 points per game on 43.2% shooting while knocking down 31.8% from behind the arc. He also secures 3.9 rebounds a game.
 
Jalen White scores 10.9 points each time out as he hits on 44.9% from the field and 41.4% from deep as he is Nicholls's top three-point threat, having hit 36 shots from outside on the season.
 
Robert Brown III tallies 10.1 points per game by hitting 35.9% of his shots on the season and 29.9% from outside while also grabbing 3.5 boards a game.
 
Nicholls averages 72.2 points per game on the season while hitting 41.8% from the field and 35.1% from above the three-point arc on the season. The Colonels allow 75.7 points per game to their opponents this season on 41.9% shooting and 31.1% from three.
 
SLU leads the all-time series over Nicholls 60-52, though the Lions are looking to avenge a season sweep, having dropped both contests to the Colonels during the 2022-23 season. Nicholls opens SLC play on Saturday in Houston against the Houston Christian Huskies before taking on the Lions. The game against Southeastern opens a three-game homestand for the Colonels.
 
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
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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.