LAKE CHARLES, La. - The University of New Orleans men's basketball team is set to square off against the fifth-seeded Southeastern in the first round of the 2024 Jersey Mike's Southland Conference Basketball Tournament, presented by Explore Louisiana. The game will take place at the Legacy Center on Sunday, with tip-off scheduled for 5 p.m. Fans can catch the live action on ESPN+ or tune in to 106.1 the Ticket, where Jude Young will provide the play-by-play commentary for New Orleans.
This postseason showdown between New Orleans and SLU marks their fourth consecutive meeting in the tournament and the fifth overall, with New Orleans having eliminated SLU in the 2023 SLC tournament.
Despite concluding the regular season with a loss at home to top-seeded McNeese, the Privateers secured the eighth seed in the conference tournament.
Jordan Johnson had a standout performance with 21 points, five assists, one steal, and one block, marking his 24th game with 20 or more points.
Carlos Hart also made an impact with his first double-double, contributing 10 points and 10 rebounds. Despite shooting 34% from the field and 67% from the foul line, New Orleans matched McNeese with 36 rebounds as a team.
Johnson leads the Privateers, having recently been named second-team all-conference. Throughout the regular season, the senior guard has led both the team and the SLC in various categories including scoring (21.4), overall points (642), minutes per game (35:31), free throws (174), and field goals (196).
Khaleb Wilson-Rouse, averaging 10.4 ppg and 1.37 steals per game, has been another key contributor for New Orleans, shooting at 40% from the field, 34% from the arc, and 84% from the foul line. Turk Vincent leads the team on the boards with an average of 6 per game, while
Tyson Jackson follows closely with 5.7 rebounds per contest.
As a team, New Orleans leads the SLC in free throws made per game, averaging 16.7, and scoring 73.9 points per game.
Southeastern's late-season momentum was halted by an 80-54 loss to Nicholls, concluding their regular season campaign.
SLU is led by Nick Caldwell, named first-team All-Southland, averaging 15.5 ppg during the regular season, and leading the team in blocks with 0.9 per contest. Roger McFarlane also earned All-Conference honors, averaging 14.7 points per game and leading the team with 8.6 boards per contest.
The winner of the matchup between the Lions and the Privateers will advance to the quarterfinal round on Monday to face fourth-seeded Lamar.
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WE ARE YOUR KREWE
For 54 seasons, Privateer student-athletes have had the unique experience of wearing New Orleans across their chests. Like the city itself, our sports teams have been fueled by resiliency, grit, and the unquenchable desire to win. Our city also houses the nation's biggest celebration each year. And much like a Mardi Gras parade krewe, we are tethered to our community through pride, tradition, a culture of acceptance, and finally our commitment to show that New Orleans is a world-class city to live, learn, play and work. We invite you to become more involved with the only University that truly represents New Orleans all day, every day. Join #NOLAsTeam, We Are Your Krewe!
