UNO vs. Johnson & Wales
Sat., Dec. 10, 2011 • 4 p.m. CST • Lakefront Arena
Live Video • Live Stats • Twitter • Game Notes
NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans men's basketball program returns from a nine-day hiatus due to final exams and welcome Johnson & Wales to the Lakefront Arena for a Saturday contest at 4 p.m.
The game will be streamed exclusively on the UNO Showcase, located at UNOPrivateers.com for a minimal fee.
UNO (5-4) has dropped their last two contests when coming out of the finals break, including a setback on the road to Southern in 2009 and a loss last year against Tulane at Lakefront Arena.
The loss against the crosstown Green Wave in 2010 started the current 11-game home winning streak, which includes four under first-year head coach
Mark Slessinger. The school-record is 38 established during the program's heyday at the NCAA Division II level from 1969 through 1972 under Ron Greene with four other home streaks of at least 15 wins.
Antonio Wertz is the top scorer on the squad with 13.4 points per game while also topping the roster with 7.2 rebounds per game. The Alma, Ga. native's current run of success includes a three-game stretch in which he is averaging 23.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per contest while shooting 73 percent from the field.
Wertz is one of eight different players on the 2011-12 UNO roster to reach double-figures this season with
Lovell Cook reaching the mark five times on way to an 11.2 points per game scoring average.
Defense will play a critical role against a JW (4-4) program that ranks No. 1 in NAIA with 11 three-pointers per contest and is making 40.6 percent of their shots from beyond the arc.
UNO enters the contest against the hot-shooting Wildcats on the heels of their best two three-point defensive efforts of the season, holding Alcorn State and Dillard to a combined 3 of 24 effort from long-distance.
In addition to the poor shooting over the last two games from three-point range, Privateer foes have committed at least 23 turnovers in six of the team's nine games thus far on the season.
Craig Wong is the top scorer for JWU with 21.1 points a contest including a high of 29 points in a contest against NCAA Division II Barry.
Following Saturday's game, UNO will turn its attention to Saint Leo's on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. Tuesday's contest is their first of the season against an NCAA Division II foe.
Tickets for all remaining home contests are on sale by visiting the Lakefront Arena Ticket Office, TicketMaster.com or by calling (504) 280-GAME.
