Lions Visit North Texas Before Holiday Break

[Harry]

DENTON, Texas. – Southeastern Louisiana will look to go into the Christmas holidays on a high note when the Lions travel to North Texas Tuesday at 7 p.m. in The Super Pit.
   
    The game between the Lions (6-5) and Mean Green (5-5) is scheduled to be broadcast on CUSA.tv (subscription required). It will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the TuneIn Radio app. Live stats, provided by North Texas, will be accessible on the men's basketball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
   
    Both teams are coming off losses on Saturday. Southeastern fell at Toledo, 78-56, despite getting nine blocked shots by senior center Dominic Nelson, the second-most in school history and tied for the most in the nation this season. Sophomore forward Moses Greenwood had team highs of 15 points and eight rebounds while junior guard/forward Davon Hayes had 14 points. But the Lions were held to a season low in points, were out-rebounded 41-35 and committed 18 turnovers. 

    North Texas dropped a 76-70 decision at Southeastern's Southland Conference rival Sam Houston State. Freshman guard A.J. Lawson had 18 points while junior forward Jeremy Combs had 13 points and seven rebounds. Graduate forward Derail Green added 11 points and freshman guard Ryan Woolridge 10.

    "We have a great challenge here with North Texas," Southeastern head coach Jay Ladner said. "They are really going to want to get back on track after their loss to Sam Houston State Saturday night. They are going to want to get into the Christmas break with some momentum and we do too. They're another team with great talent and size. We're going to have to be on top of our game if we're going to hang in there with them."

    Southeastern is averaging 75.3 points per game on 46.4 percent shooting - second best in the Southland Conference - and are first in the conference and 15th nationally in 3-point percentage (41.0). It also leads the league in free throws made (171). The Lions are second in the conference in total rebounds (402), assists (167), free throw attempts (248), 3-pointers made (87) and 3-pointers per game (7.9).

    Southeastern leads the conference in scoring defense (70.5 ppg) and is second in field goal percentage defense (42.2 percent). The Lions are forcing an average of 15.3 turnovers a game while blocking 3.5 shots and grabbing 6.9 steals

    Sophomore guard Marlain Veal leads Southeastern in scoring (14.4 ppg) and is second in the Southland in assists (47) and steals (22). Hayes is averaging 13.2 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 48.9 percent on 23 3s, the third-most in the conference.

    Greenwood is shooting 61.4 percent from the field in averaging 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds. Nelson (5.5 ppg) is second in the league in total rebounds (83) and blocks (29) and fifth in rebounds per game (8.5). Junior guard Jabbar Singleton (4.4 ppg) has dished out 31 assists. Junior forward Eddy Polanco, who has started the past two games, is averaging 8.9 points and 4.1 rebounds and is shooting a team-best 87.0 percent from the free throw line.

    North Texas is one of the top defensive teams in Conference USA, holding opponents to 68.3 points per game on 40.5 percent shooting from the field and 32.9 percent on 3s. The Mean Green are grabbing 37.6 rebounds per game while allowing 38.4. North Texas is also forcing 15.1 turnovers, recording an average of 6.6 steals and 3.8 blocks.

    Offensively, the Mean Green are averaging 68.1 points per game on 40.9 percent shooting from the field and 30 percent on 3s. North Texas is averaging 11.4 assists and 14.3 turnovers a game.

    Combs leads the Mean Green with 13.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 63.8 percent from the field. Senior guard Deckie Johnson is averaging 11.2 points while dishing 21 assists. Senior guard J-Mychal Reese leads the team with 38 assists while averaging 7.3 points. Green (6.1 ppg) and sophomore guard Allante Holston (3.3 ppg, 16 assists) are also projected to start.

    North Texas leads the series with Southeastern 6-1 after taking a 75-61 win in Denton during the 2013-14 season. The Lions' lone win came during the 1990-91 season, 106-100, in Hammond.

    Southeastern will be out to win their seventh non-conference game for the first time since the 2011-12 season. The Lions close out their non-conference schedule at Southern University on Dec. 28.

read more:  http://www.lionsports.net/news/2016/12/19/mens-basketball-lions-visit-north-texas-before-holiday-break.aspx