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Diontae Champion - 3-6-18 Preview
UNO Athletics/Clem Barbazon

Men's Basketball Kelvin Queliz, Director of Athletic Communications and New Media (504-280-6284)

GAME 30: No. 5 New Orleans Defense of Tourney Crown Begins with No. 8 Corpus Christi

Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday

KATY, Texas – The reigning Southland Conference Tournament champion University of New Orleans (14-15) begins its title defense as the No. 5 seed, taking on No. 8 Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (11-17) Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Merrell Center.
 
The Privateers swept the regular season series over the Islanders and have won the last four matchups between the programs, including last season's overtime win in the clinching championship game that saw the Silver and Blue earn its first NCAA appearance in 21 seasons.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
Game Notes: http://unoprivateers.com/sports/2017/11/6/mens-basketball-game-notes.aspx
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/uno/mbball/
Listen: http://unoprivateers.com/watch/
Watch: ESPN3
Tickets: https://tkt.xosn.com//tickets/EventsCentral.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=34300
Social Media
Twitter: @PrivateersMBB
Instagram: @PrivateersMBB
Facebook: /PrivateersMBB
 
TIP-OFF
• The Privateers (No. 5) begin the quest for back-to-back Southland Conference Tournament crowns versus last season's championship rematch - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (No. 8) - Wednesday at 5 p.m.
• New Orleans went 2-0 last season but will have a much tougher task this season, needing four wins to cut the nets in Katy for the second consecutive season.
• UNO will be playing for the first time in a week Wednesday after a bye on the final day of the regular season Saturday.
• The Privateers are 2-0 versus the Islanders this season with a 61-55 victory Jan. 13 and 62-53 dub in Corpus Christi Feb. 10.
Makur Puou is averaging 8.7 points and 5.5 rebounds and pulled down 10 rebounds in two of the final three games of the regular season.
• Picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll, the Privateers concluded the regular season fifth.
• Texas A&M-Corpus Christi features one all-conference honoree - Joe Kilgore - who received second team honors after averaging 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals.
Next up: A victory would see UNO advance to take on No. 4 Sam Houston State Thursday at 5 p.m.
Note: All games will be on ESPN3 with the championship contest airing live on ESPN2.
Tickets: Purchase your tickets today by visiting UNOPrivateers.com/SLC.
 
ABOUT THE PRIVATEERS
New Orleans officially defends its Southland Conference tournament crown as the No. 5 seed. Makur Puou pulled down 10 rebounds in two of the final three games. He is averaging 8.7 points and 5.5 rebounds.
 
Scott Plaisance blocked six shots in the final four games, including three at Nicholls. He also swiped three passes against the Colonels. Troy Green scores 7.5 points and adds 2.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists a game and Ezekiel Charles is shooting 44.8 percent from three-point range.
 
Diontae Champion scored a season-high 16 points off the bench in the regular season finale against Southland Conference regular season champion Southeastern Louisiana. Zeke added 12 and Green chipped in with 11.
 
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS
Second team all-Southland Conference honoree Joe Kilgore paces the Ders with 18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was in a must-win situation Saturday and did just that, securing the last spot in the Southland Conference tournament with a 92-87 victory over Houston Baptist in H-Town.
 
The 92 points were a season-high for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
THE SERIES
New Orleans is 10-7 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with wins in the last four matches.
 
LAST FIVE SERIES BREAKDOWN
Feb. 15, 2016 in New Orleans * – L, 57-65
Dec. 21, 2016 in New Orleans * - W, 73-72
March 11, 2017 in Katy 1 – W, 68-65 (OT)
Jan. 13, 2018 in New Orleans * – W, 61-55
Feb. 10, 2018 in Corpus Christi * - W, 62-53
 
* – Southland Conference
1 – Southland Conference Tournament (Katy, Texas)
 
THREE IN A ROW
The Privateers swept the regular season series with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and look to improve to 5-0 versus the Islanders since the 2016-17 season. One of those wins was the Southland Conference Tournament championship clincher from last season, propelling the Silver and Blue to its first NCAA appearance in 21 seasons.
 
FOUR WINS IN FOUR DAYS
A true test awaits New Orleans as the Privateers must win four games in four days in order to clinch the automatic berth into March Madness. Should UNO defeat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, it would advance to face No. 4 Sam Houston State Thursday at 5 p.m.
 
The winner of that game moves on to face No. 2 Southeastern Louisiana Friday at 5 p.m. and the championship game - live on ESPN2 - will tip off at 8 p.m. Saturday.
 
RECORD AGAINST PROJECTED OPPONENTS
New Orleans is 2-3 against its projected Southland Conference Tournament opponents prior to the championship game. The Privateers swept the Ders, attempted a game-tying shot at the buzzer in the lone matchup with the Bearkats, and nearly overcame a 25-point deficit in the first of two meetings with the Lions. In the regular season finale, the short-handed Privateers fell 68-64.
 
LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE
The Privateers made quick work in Katy, Texas last season, beginning the tourney as the top seed and a semifinals nod. As the No. 1 team, UNO defeated Sam Houston State 75-63 and TAMUCC 68-65 in overtime to earn the automatic bid.
 
IN THE TOURNEY
The Silver and Blue are 3-2 in Southland Conference Tournament games with the two victories last season and a 82-73 win over Nicholls in their tourney debut in 2015.
 
ENERGY FROM CHAMP
Diontae Champion scored a season-high 16 points off the bench in the regular season finale against regular season champions Southeastern Louisiana.
 
NO NO NO - SCOTTIE P
Scott Plaisance has been an interior menace in the last few weeks with six blocks in the last four games. In the second to last contest (at Nicholls), Plaisance totaled three blocks and three steals despite playing limited minutes due to foul trouble.
 
PASS THE ROCK
The offense clicked at a crucial time Feb. 17 with New Orleans picking up 27 assists in the 90-74 victory over McNeese. It was the most since 2013 when the Privateers tallied 27 in a win over Champions Baptist.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
The unselfishness was evident, with the Privateers tallying 15 assists on 19 field goals while turning the ball over just eight times in the 62-53 victory over Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (8-14, 5-7 Southland) Saturday evening at the American Bank Center.
 
IN THE RANKINGS (TOP 50 NATIONALLY ONLY)
Thru 3/5/18
 
New Orleans
- Team
            - Turnovers Forced (20th, 15.66)
            - Steals per Game (49th, 7.9)
 
THE EFFICIENCY
A team that has no all-conference selections is the No. 5 seed in the tournament. That is not a typo. The Privateers are the epitome of team basketball, with five active players averaging 5.0 or more points per game. Picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll, New Orleans is facing the No. 8 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi club that was tabbed to place fourth and earned a W in the final day of the regular season to receive the eighth and final spot in the tourney.
 
TICKETS FOR 2018 SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tickets are available for the 2018 Southland Conference men's and women's basketball championships in Katy, Texas on www.UNOPrivateers.com/SLC. For just $75, fans can watch both clubs pursue a tournament championship and earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow @PrivateersMBB on Twitter, @PrivateersMBB on Instagram, like /PrivateersMBB on Facebook and subscribe to the PrivateerAthletics YouTube channel.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Scott Plaisance Jr.

#55 Scott Plaisance Jr.

F
6' 9"
Junior
Makur Puou

#22 Makur Puou

F
6' 9"
Senior
Diontae Champion

#0 Diontae Champion

G
6' 5"
Junior
Troy Green

#3 Troy Green

G
6' 3"
Freshman
Ezekiel Charles

#33 Ezekiel Charles

G
6' 4"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Scott Plaisance Jr.

#55 Scott Plaisance Jr.

6' 9"
Junior
F
Makur Puou

#22 Makur Puou

6' 9"
Senior
F
Diontae Champion

#0 Diontae Champion

6' 5"
Junior
G
Troy Green

#3 Troy Green

6' 3"
Freshman
G
Ezekiel Charles

#33 Ezekiel Charles

6' 4"
Junior
G