University of New Orleans (9-6) vs Christian Brothers (8-2)
Saturday, Dec. 31 • 2 p.m. CST • Lakefront Arena • WGSO 990 AM
Live Video • Live Audio • Live Stats • Game Notes
NEW ORLEANS - With the New Year upon us, the University of New Orleans basketball team will seek to put their name in the record book in several categories on Saturday at 2 p.m. when it faces Christian Brothers at Lakefront Arena.
The game will be broadcast on WGSO 990 AM and WGSO.com with additional live video and statistical coverage available on UNOPrivateers.com.
Coming of a two-game losing streak, UNO (9-6) will look forward to playing at home for the next four contests, where the team has won 14 straight games dating back to last December.
Not only would a victory over CBU (8-2) move the Privateers into a tie for the fifth-longest home winning streak in school history, it would also catapult UNO head coach
Mark Slessinger into the top spot for most successful home debuts.
Slessinger's 7-0 start at home stands tied with Benny Dees (1984-85) for the quickest start to a career on the Lakefront. Tic Price went 6-0 in 1994-95 with the school-record for most home wins in a debut season belonging to Ron Greene, who posted a 13-1 mark in 1969-70 after dropping the school's first-ever game.
One final accolade would come with a victory as the Privateers would be the third team in school history to post double-digit wins before the turn in a calendar year. The 2007-08 team holds the record with 11 while the 1970-71 squad is second at 10.
Lovell Cook is the top scorer on the UNO roster with 13 points per contest.
Cook averaged 18 points, 6.5 rebounds and a 69.7 percent clip from the field in the previous four games before scoring six in Wednesday's loss at Colorado. The six points were his fewest since tabulating just three in the opener at New Mexico.
Antonio Wertz is second on the squad in scoring (12.0), but tops the program in shooting percentage (55 percent), rebounds (8.1) and blocks (17).
Generra Varmall is third in the team in scoring with 7.4 points, including tying for team high honors with seven on Wednesday.
CBU presents a challenge for the Privateers as the team's third Division II opponent of the slate.
The Bucs have won four straight since suffering their only losses of the season, an in-season home-and-home sweep by Division II national power Arkansas Tech. ATU has been ranked in the top 25 all season and currently resides at No. 17.
The game will be the first for CBU since cruising to a 2-0 record at a tournament in Las Vegas with a win over Saint Mary's (Texas) on Dec. 18. Top players for the Bucs are Zack Warner (16.8 point, 53.9 percent shooting) and Scott Dennis (14.7 points, 9.3 rebounds).
UNO and CBU are scheduled to play twice this season with the Privateers returning to Memphis on Feb. 22. The teams are currently slated to be Gulf South Conference foes in 2012-13 with an in-season home-and-home on tap for that year's schedule.
Following Saturday's contest, UNO will host Xavier (La.) on Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. with games to follow against Concordia-Selma (Jan. 7) and Champion Baptist (Jan. 11) at home. To purchase tickets, visit TicketMaster.com, the Lakefront Arena Box Office or call (504) 280-GAME.
