GAME 15: MBB Goes for Win No. 3 in Southland Play

NEW ORLEANS – Fresh off win No. 100 under head coach Mark Slessinger, the University of New Orleans (7-7, 2-1 Southland) returns to Lakefront Arena to host McNeese State University (5-11, 1-2 Southland) Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
 
The Privateers go for their third consecutive Southland Conference victory and fifth straight win over the Cowboys, having swept the series meetings in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
Game Notes: http://unoprivateers.com/sports/2017/11/6/mens-basketball-game-notes.aspx
Live Stats: https://unoprivateers.com/sidearmstats/mbball/summary
Watch/Listen: http://unoprivateers.com/watch/
 
Social Media
Twitter: @PrivateersMBB
Instagram: @PrivateersMBB
Facebook: PrivateersMBB
 
TIP-OFF
• The Privateers look for their fifth consecutive win over the Cowboys Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
• New Orleans is 5-1 at Lakefront Arena in 2018-19 and 6-1 overall at home.
• Through three Southland Conference games, the Privateers have not trailed in the first half.
• Ezekiel Charles is coming off a career-high 22-point game in the overtime win over Lamar.
            - The senior also tipped in a miss with .3 seconds remaining to force overtime.
• Larry Robinson III was the sparkplug as the club went on a 14-3 run when he checked in Wednesday. Robinson III finished with four assists and three steals.
• Bryson Robinson scored a season-high 18 points in the win over the Cardinals.
• With Wednesday's win, the Privateers have won back-to-back overtime games for the first time since Dec. 31, 2016-Jan. 5, 2017 (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Lamar). That season, UNO went on to win the Southland Conference regular season and tournament championships.
• New Orleans has earned the series sweep over McNeese in each of the previous two seasons.
• In last season's game at Lakefront Arena, UNO cruised to a 90-74 victory. It was Senior Night on the Lakefront.
 
ABOUT THE PRIVATEERS
With back-to-back overtime victories, the Privateers welcome McNeese Saturday looking for their fifth consecutive win vs. the Cowboys. New Orleans ranks fourth in the country in turnovers forced and fifth in steals per game.
 
Charles led all players with a career-high 22 points in Wednesday's win over Lamar and UNO featured four players in double figures. The win was No. 100 under head coach Mark Slessinger.
 
ABOUT THE COWBOYS
Roydell Brown leads the conference and ranks 25th nationally with 9.8 rebounds per game. He is averaging 11.6 points and has eight double-doubles. Sha'Markus Kennedy is second in the league with 1.8 blocks per game and is knocking down 70.7 percent of his shots, top 10 in the nation. James Harvey is McNeese's leading scorer with 13.1 points per game.
 
McNeese is led by first-year coach Heath Schroyer.
 
THE SERIES
The Privateers lead the series 12-7 with four consecutive wins over the Cowboys.
 
Overall: 12-7
Home: 9-2 (7-1 at Lakefront; 2-1 at HPC) | Away: 4-5 | Neutral: 0-0 | OT: 1-2 | Southland: 6-4 | Streak: W4
11/29/75      H/2     W         80-66
1/3/77         A        L          64-68
2/26/77       H        W         71-65
1/10/81       A        L          68-70 (OT)
1/15/81       H        L          71-75 (OT)
2/2/87         H        W         83-70
11/28/87      H        W         98-62
2/22/88       A        W         81-79
1/3/00         H        W         62-60
1/4/14         A *      L          69-82
2/16/14       H *      L          69-72
1/31/15       A *      L          61-68
2/9/15         H *      W         81-71
1/30/16       H *      W         76-64
2/11/16       A *      L          76-87
1/26/17       H *      W         75-56
2/9/17         A *      W         69-63
1/6/18         A *      W         82-75 (OT)
2/17/18       H *      W         90-74
 
* – Southland Conference game
2 – New Orleans Classic
 
MR. 100
Head coach Mark Slessinger became the third Privateers leader to reach the century mark following the 78-71 overtime win over Lamar (Jan. 9). In his eighth season at the helm, coach Sless has led UNO to back-to-back postseasons (NCAA First Four, 2017 & CBI Second Round, 2018).
 
TALE OF TWO HALVES
Through the early stages of Southland Conference play, the first half has been dominated by the Privateers. In fact, New Orleans has not trailed in the opening half in each of the three games and led by double figures. However, the second half has forced late comebacks by UNO with the Privateers rallying to defeat HBU and Lamar despite trailing with two minutes remaining in regulation.
 
WHERES MY CHARITY... STRIPE
With its first free throw attempt coming with 1:35 remaining in the second half in the OT win over HBU and the first FT trip coming with 13:05 remaining in the second in Wednesday's win at Lamar, the Privateers are making the most of their brief trips to the line, shooting 85.7 percent (HBU) & 75.0 percent (Lamar).
 
JAH BACK IN STARTING FIVE
With the injury to Scott Plaisance Jr., Jahmel Myers earned his second start in the overtime win over Lamar. Despite fouling out, Myers chipped in six points and three rebounds.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
The win over Lamar was New Orleans' first true road win since Feb. 10, 2018 at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Privateers have seven more road games on the docket before the 2019 Southland Conference Tournament in Katy.
 
SWARMING DEFENSE
With a defense in the top five nationally in steals and turnovers, UNO has forced 15+ turnovers 10 times this season and 20+ four times. The Privateers have collected 10+ steals seven times. UNO is 7-3 when forcing 15-plus miscues.
 
WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN WIN
Head coach Mark Slessinger said the club is as balanced offensively as any team in the conference. New Orleans is 6-0 when four or more players reached double figures. In Wednesday's win, four players scored 10+, led by Ezekiel Charles' career-high 22 points.
 
REACH 70? IT'S ALL UNO
New Orleans will look to continue to surpass the 70-point plateau. When the Privateers score 70 or more points, they are 7-1.
 
SPARK PLUG LRIII
When he checked into the game at Lamar for the first time, we witnessed a shift at Montagne Center as Larry Robinson III sparked a 14-3 UNO run en route to a double-digit lead in the first half. Robinson III dished out four assists and added three steals in the win.
 
ZEKE THE LEADER
Senior Ezekiel Charles has scored 20 or more points three times this season, including a career-high 22 points in the overtime win over Lamar Jan. 9. The New York native added a tip-in with .3 ticks remaining to force overtime. He went 4-of-7 from three-point range.
 
DAME THE SWATTER
Sophomore Damion Rosser continues to show his athleticism on both ends of the floor, collecting three blocks at Lamar (Jan. 9). The high-flyer is known for his dunks, but defensively, he continues to fill a much-needed void, at points playing every position 1-5.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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