New Orleans Welcomes Corpus-Christi to the Lakefront

NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans men's basketball (6-9, 1-1 SLC) welcomes Texas A&M Corpus Christi to the Lakefront Saturday as they conclude their three-game homestand. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. or approximately 30 minutes following the women's game. 

The game will air on ESPN+ and 106.1 NASH FM with Jude Young on the call.   

This will be the 29th meeting between the programs. Corpus Christi won the last two games both away (1/14/23) and home (2/2/23). In the most recent matchup, Jordan Johnson was out due to injury while Marquez Cooper (21 pts) and D'Ante Bell (11 pts) led in double figures. 

The Privateers travel to Nicholls for their road conference opener Monday, January 15. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

New Orleans looks to continue its win streak at home after the Monday afternoon victory over Texas A&M Commerce. Johnson led with a season-high 36 points, six assists, four steals, and four rebounds on 10-of-19 from the field and 14-of-16 from the foul line. Shahada Wells is the only other SLC student-athletes to score 36 or more points this season. 

Turk Vincent also put up a season high and his second double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Mason Jones reached a career-high 17 points and seven boards. Tyson Jackson chipped in nine points and seven rebounds, while Jah Short accounted for eight points and four rebounds in his first collegiate start.

New Orleans shot 50.9% from the field and 76.3% from the foul line on 29 made baskets to match its season high. They continue to lead the conference in free throws made per game at 16.9. The Privateers also leads the conference in two-point field goal percentage at .563%.

Johnson leads the team in scoring at 21.73 ppg putting him in the Top 10 nationally. The Memphis, Tennessee native has made atleast two three-pointers in 12-of-15 games played thus far while scoring 20 or more points nine times.

Wilson-Rouse is the only other averaging in double-figures (10.9), and both veteran guards lead the team with 24 steals each. 

The Islanders have been the reigning Southland Conference champions for the past two years. They come into Saturday's contest at 9-6 overall and 2-0 in the SLC winning their last three games. In their most recent, 81-59,  win over HCU at home, Gary Clark led the Islanders with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Behind Clark was Jordan Roberts and Dian Wright-Forde both in double figures. Roberts had 11 points and two rebounds, while Forde put up 14 points, three assists, and four rebounds off the bench. Clark leads the Islanders in scoring (11.2 ppg) and rebounding (8.2 rebs), while Forde is the other in double-figures with 10.8 ppg.

Nicholls, (7-8, 2-0 SLC), is looking for a 3-0 start to conference on Saturday as they welcome Lamar. In its most recent win over Southeastern, Diante Smith had a game-high 18 points, while Jamal West Jr. and Robert Brown III scored 16 apiece. Byron Ireland was the other Colonel in double figures with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

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