HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The final three games of the regular season features matchups at top-seed Nicholls State University and No. 2 Southeastern Louisiana University but the week begins with a battle at No. 4 Sam Houston State University (17-11, 11-4 Southland) Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the Bernard Johnson Coliseum. The game will be streamed on ESPN3 and WatchESPN.
The University of New Orleans (14-12, 11-4 Southland) is coming off a passing clinic, dishing out 27 assists – the most since Dec. 14, 2013 – in a 90-74 victory over McNeese State University. In the win,
Makur Puou posted a career-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting and
Bryson Robinson and
Travin Thibodeaux dominated the second half en route to the series sweep.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Game Notes:
http://unoprivateers.com/sports/2017/11/6/mens-basketball-game-notes.aspx
Live Stats:
http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=195520
Listen:
http://unoprivateers.com/watch/
Social Media
Twitter:
@PrivateersMBB
Instagram:
@PrivateersMBB
Facebook:
/PrivateersMBB
TIP-OFF
• It's a battle of 11-4 clubs Wednesday as New Orleans visits Sam Houston State for a pivotal Southland Conference contest.
• With matching records, the SLC tiebreaker is a confusing one. They would go to the highest seeded common opponent that both teams faced twice (?). If standings remained the same, that would be Southeastern Louisiana, making the regular season finale a must-win for the Privateers.
• Both games this week will be on ESPN3 and next Wednesday will be streamed on Eleven Sports and the Southland Digital Network.
•
1,000 Point Watch - Travin Thibodeaux is just 16 points away from becoming the 22nd member of the 1,000 point club.
Christavious Gill joined the elusive club last season.
• Thib is the lone double digit scorer on the squad, doubling his total last season. His 16.3 points tie for fifth in the Southland and the 54.2 percent shooting is good for fourth.
• Sam Houston State allows the fewest points in the conference, limiting opponents to 67.4 points per contest. Nationally, the Bearkat defense is top 10 (3FG) and top 50 overall.
• The Privateers are No. 21 in the country in turnovers forced.
• The 90 points in Saturday's win are the most versus a Division I opponent this season. UNO is 2-0 when scoring 90+.
•
Next Up: at Nicholls (6:32 p.m. on ESPN3).
ABOUT NEW ORLEANS
The final three regular season games can propel the Privateers to back-to-back regular season championships. New Orleans is currently tied with Sam Houston State for fourth and trail Saturday's opponent Nicholls (top seed) and Southeastern Louisiana (second).
Travin Thibodeaux leads the club in scoring with 16.3 points per game. The Plaquemine native also leads the team in field goal percentage, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.
Saturday's win marked the second time the Privateers score 90+ this season (2-0). It was the largest home crowd of the season.
Lamont Berzat finished with six assists and four steals with zero assists Saturday.
ABOUT SAM HOUSTON STATE
Clinching a playoff spot, the Bearkats are 2-3 in one-possession games in Southland Conference play. Chris Galbreath Jr. and Marcus Harris pace the squad in scoring with 15.6 and 10.3 points, respectively.
Galbreath Jr. add 8.4 rebounds while Bronx native John Dewey III dishes out 4.5 assists and recorded a steal per contest.
THE SERIES
Sam Houston has dominated the series since New Orleans joined the Southland. However, the Privateers upended the Bearkats 75-63 in the semifinals of last season's conference tournament.
SERIES BREAKDOWN
Overall: 3-7
Home: 2-4| Away: 0-3 | Neutral: 1-0 | OT: 0-0 | Southland: 0-5 | Streak: W1
12/01/70 H W 98-85
1/15/87 H W 99-67
12/20/99 H L 52-56
12/23/00 A L 65-72
1/18/14 H * L 70-77
3/8/14 A * L 61-80
1/10/15 H * L 62-68
1/9/16 A * L 70-73
1/12/17 H * L 68-70
3/10/17 N/1 W 75-63
* – Southland Conference
1 – Southland Tournament (Katy, Texas)
1000 CLUB WATCH
Travin Thibodeaux is poised to make history Wednesday as the 22nd member of the 1,000 point club in Privateer history. Thibodeaux is 16 points - his season average - away from the 1K mark.
SCORE IN BUNCHES
The offense clicked at a crucial time Saturday with New Orleans picked up 27 assists in the 90-74 victory over McNeese.
TAKE A SHOT AT THE THRONE
After winning a championship, everyone circles your name on the calendar. The defending conference champions must reverse the trend with the toughest end to the regular season as the Privateers are scheduled for road games at Sam Houston State (tied for fourth with UNO) and league leading Nicholls and a home slate versus second place Southeastern Louisiana.
WHAT A SENIOR DAY
For the Privateers, senior day was an amazing day as
Makur Puou posted a career-high 23 points on on 9-of-12 shooting and eight rebounds. Fellow senior
Travin Thibodeaux added 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds - the majority in the second half - and
Michael Zeno dished out five assists in the 90-74 win over the Cowboys.
PASS THE ROCK
The Privateers dished out 27 assists in Saturday's W vs. McNeese. The total was the most since Dec. 14, 2013 versus Champions Baptist.
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Privateers started hot, played well with a lead and held on down the stretch as the University of New Orleans men's basketball team punched its ticket to the Southland Conference Tournament championship contest as the top-seeded Privateers defeated No. 5 seed Sam Houston State, 75-63, in a semifinals matchup at 5 p.m. in the Leonard E. Merrell Center. The win saw the Privateers advance to the conference championship game for the first time since the 2004 Sun Belt Tournament.
WHATCHA KNOW ABOUT THAT
With three games remaining, New Orleans will be on ESPN3 or the Southland Conference Digital Network for all of them. Wednesday's game at Sam Houston State and Saturday's contest at Nicholls will be on ESPN3 and Feb. 28's bout versus the Lions will be streamed on the SLC Digital Network.
SLESS REACHING THE CENTURY MARK
Head coach
Mark Slessinger is just nine wins away from 100 in his Privateer career. With Saturday's 90-74 win vs. McNeese, Slessinger looks to become the third coach in program history to win 100 games.
ZEKE LEADS THE WAY in 3FG
Ezekiel Charles' 46.3 percent shooting from three-point range would be tops in the Southland Conference if the junior qualified.
IN THE RANKINGS
Below are the statistical categories the Privateers and their opponent are nationally-ranked in (top 50 only).
Thru 2/19/18
New Orleans
- Team
- Turnovers Forced (21st, 15.96)
- Steals per Game (45th, 7.5)
Sam Houston State
- Team
- Three-Point Defense (9th, 30.3)
- Total Rebounds (47th, 1,062)
- Offensive Rebounds per Game (49th, 12.07)
- Individual
- Christopher Galbreath Jr.
- Double-Doubles (34th, 11)
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE STANDINGS
SCHOOL SLC PCT. OVERALL PCT. HOME AWAY NEUTRAL STREAK
Nicholls 12-2 0.857 18-9 0.667 11-3 6-6 1-0 W5
Southeastern La. 12-3 0.800 18-10 0.643 9-3 8-7 1-0 W5
Stephen F. Austin 11-3 0.786 22-5 0.815 14-0 8-5 0-0 W4
Sam Houston State 11-4 0.733 17-11 0.607 12-1 4-8 1-2 W1
New Orleans 11-4 0.733 14-12 0.538 9-2 5-10 0-0 W1
Lamar 9-6 0.600 17-11 0.607 11-4 6-5 0-2 W2
Abilene Christian 7-7 0.500 15-12 0.556 9-4 5-7 1-1 L1
Central Arkansas 7-7 0.500 13-14 0.481 7-4 6-10 0-0 L2
McNeese 6-8 0.429 9-15 0.375 5-4 4-11 0-0 L1
A&M-Corpus Christi 5-9 0.357 8-16 0.333 6-5 2-11 0-0 L4
Houston Baptist 2-12 0.143 6-21 0.222 5-6 1-14 0-1 L1
UIW 0-14 0.000 5-19 0.208 5-7 0-12 0-0 L16
Northwestern State 0-14 0.000 3-22 0.120 1-9 1-12 1-1 L17
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Week 1 - Nov. 13 - Kevon Harris, Stephen F. Austin (1)
Week 2 - Nov. 20 - Jordan Howard, Central Arkansas (1)
Week 3 - Nov. 27 - Marlain Veal, Southeastern Louisiana
Week 4 - Dec. 4 - Josh Ibarra, Houston Baptist
Week 5 - Dec. 11 - Kevon Harris, Stephen F. Austin (2)
Week 6 - Dec. 18 - Ivan Canete, Stephen F. Austin
Week 7 - Dec. 27 - Jordan Howard, Central Arkansas (2)
Week 8 - Jan. 2 - Josh Nzeakor, Lamar
Week 9 - Jan. 8 - Bryson Robinson, New Orleans
Week 10 - Jan. 15 - Roddy Peters, Nicholls (1)
Week 11 - Jan. 22 - Nick Garth, Lamar
Week 12 - Jan. 29 - Jordan Howard, Central Arkansas (3)
Week 13 - Feb. 5 - Roddy Peters, Nicholls (2)
Week 14 - Feb. 12 - Jaren Lewis, Abilene Christian
Week 15 - Feb. 19 - Roddy Peters, Nicholls (3)
Week 16 - Feb. 26 -
Week 17 - March 5 –
NEXT UP
The Privateers battle top-ranked Nicholls Saturday at 6:32 p.m. in Thibodaux.
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