Men's Hoops To Host Southeastern Louisiana In Lakefront Arena

NEW ORLEANS – The University of New Orleans men's basketball team will look to get back on the winning track and clinch a spot in the upcoming Southland Conference Tournament when the Privateers play host to league foe Southeastern Louisiana on Thursday evening in Lakefront Arena.
 
At 9-18 on the year, 5-11 in conference play and in the midst of a three-game skid, UNO needs one win in its last two regular-season contests to clinch a spot in the postseason tournament. Thursday's game against the Lions, which is tentatively slated to start at 7:45 p.m., is the second half of a Privateers basketball double header as UNO and SLU's women's team will play at 5:30 p.m.
 
"Our backs are against the wall," UNO Mark Slessinger said. "It's planted, nailed, glued…whatever you want to call it, it's against the wall. The team has to come out and answer. We've got to get them ready for a tough, tough game on Thursday night and another one on Saturday to try and get in this tournament and to pursue a championship."
 
New Orleans enters Thursday's averaging 74.7 points, 38.0 rebounds, 13.3 assists, 8.4 steals and 2.6 blocks per game. Junior guard Christavious Gill leads a balanced UNO offense with 14.0 points per game while junior forward Erik Thomas, junior guard Nate Frye and senior forward Kevin Hill with respective scoring averages of 11.6, 9.9 and 9.7. Thomas paces the team with 6.8 rebounds per game and the tandem of Hill and sophomore wing Michael Zeno headline the defense with 0.7 blocked shots per outing each. Frye leads the Privateers with 3.2 assists per game and Gill has a team-best 1.9 steals-per-contest average.
 
New Orleans is connecting at a .417 clip from the field, hitting 682-of-1636 shots from the floor and at a .336 mark from beyond the 3-point arc (137-of-408), while allowing opponents to shoot .452 overall (708-of-1567) and .352 from 3-point land (200-of-568). Privateer foes are averaging 77.6 points, 37.6 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.9 blocks so far in 2015-16.
 
Southeastern Louisiana, meanwhile, comes to town 10-19 on the year, 8-8 in Southland Conference play and riding the crest of a three-game winning streak dating back to a 93-81 victory over the Privateers back on Feb. 24 in Hammond, Louisiana. Since then, the Lions have defeated Central Arkansas, 75-56 on Feb. 27, and Northwestern State, 84-82 on Feb. 29. Both of those contests came in the University Center.
 
As a team, the Lions are averaging 71.9 points, 34.6 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 6.3 steals and 2.6 blocks per game. Zay Jackson is the lone SU player to average double figures offensively with a 12.9 point-per-game clip, but seven others average at least 7.0 points a game including Jordan Capps and Joshua Filmore marks of 9.5 and 9.0 respectively. Capps paces the squad with 6.0 rebounds and 0.8 blocked shots per game. Jackson headlines the squad with 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals per outing.
 
Southeastern Louisiana is hitting 45.8 percent of its shots from the field, connecting on 743-of-1620 field goal attempts, including a 206-of-566 showing from beyond the 3-point line (.364). The Lions' defense has allowed opponents to post a 45.7 shooting percentage (755-of-1651) and a 38.8 clip from 3-point land (238-of-613). SLU opponents are averaging 76.5 points, 35.3 rebounds, 15.3 assists, 6.4 steals and 3.8 blocks per game.
 
Thursday's game between New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana marks the 13th meeting between the two teams on the hardwood and the Privateers hold a commanding 11-1 advantage in the all-time series. UNO is 6-0 against SLU in Lakefront Arena, including an 85-79 decision last March 5. The Privateers are 4-1 against the Lions since joining the Southland Conference prior to the 2013-14 season.
 
The series dates back to Jan. 24, 1974, when New Orleans earned a 70-67 victory in the Human Performance Center. The Privateers' home wins prior to last year's victory were 60-57 on Dec. 15, 1979, 52-50 on Dec. 20, 1980, 77-69 on Dec. 7, 2002 and 67-58 on Feb. 20, 2014.
 
Following the game against SLU, New Orleans will close out the regular season at home against Northwestern State on Saturday, March 5. Tickets UNO's final two home games of the 2015-16 basketball season and future Privateer sporting events can be purchased by clicking HERE or by calling the UNO Athletics Ticket Office at (504) 280-GAME (4263).