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With just five regular season games remaining, the Southeastern Louisiana University men’s basketball team is just a half game back of second place in the Southland Conference standings as it hits the road this weekend to take on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and UIW Saturday at 4 p.m.

SLU (14-12, 6-3 Southland) is trailing Nicholls (16-9, 6-2 Southland) for second place as it pursues a double-bye in the Southland Conference Tournament beginning Wednesday, March 9 in Katy, Texas.

The Lions will look to continue their offensive dominance as they lead the Southland in total offense, averaging 82.6 points per game. SLU erupted in the second half of last Thursday’s 91-86 win over McNeese scoring 57 points on 66 percent (19-for-29) shooting in the final 20 minutes. The Lions followed that up with a 51-point second half Saturday against HBU, shooting 20-for-30 (66.7 percent), in an 89-84 victory.

Jalyn Hinton leads SLU in scoring and rebounding during league play, averaging 16.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Hinton, a Boston native, leads the Southland in field goal percentage during league play shooting 80.6 percent (54-for-67). The Lions’ forward is also second in the nation in field goal percentage, shooting 66.5 percent.

Sophomore Roscoe Eastmond holds the Southland’s top spot in assists averaging 4.1 a game during league action. The Denver University transfer recorded 11 assists in the win over McNeese last Thursday, the most by a Lion since Marlain Veal had 12 back on Feb. 7, 2018.

Southeastern continues to lead the conference in three-pointers made as they enter Thursday’s matchup with the Islanders with 235, just 15 shy of the school record of 251 set by the 2017-18 Lions.

The Islanders (16-9, 3-5 Southland) have lost four games in a row as they get ready for the rematch with the Lions. However, A&M-Corpus Christi handed SLU its only home loss of the season back on Jan. 27, 86-71. The Lions had 20 turnovers and shot just 2-for-20 from the three-point line combined with the absence of Keon Clergeot due to illness.

Despite the loss, SLU has won five out of six against A&M-Corpus Christi and three in a row in Corpus Christi. However, the Islanders lead the all-time series, 12-8.

The Islanders are led by Isaac Mushila in scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.6 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Mushila also has nine double-doubles to his credit for the season.

Following Thursday’s matchup, the Lions will travel north to San Antonio, Texas to face UIW (5-21, 1-8 Southland). SLU won the first matchup between the two teams as Clergeot scored a career-high 29 points to help the Lions to a 78-68 win.

The Cardinals have lost back-to-back road games coming into the week. But defeated league-leading New Orleans (14-9, 8-1 Southland) in their last home contest.

UIW will look to leading scorer R.J. Glasper (15.1 ppg) against the Lions. Glasper also scored 22 points with six three-pointers against SLU in the first meeting.

Southeastern leads the all-time series over UIW, 6-2, despite the Cardinals winning the last matchup in San Antonio, 82-75 in overtime, back on Feb. 8, 2020.

Fans can watch the live broadcast of Thursday’s game on ESPN+. Saturday’s contest will be broadcast by UIW with a live video link available at LionSports.Net. at the Southeastern men’s basketball schedule page.

An audio broadcast will be available for Thursday’s and Saturday’s games as well at LionSports.Net/ListenLive. Live stats will be available for both games with links located at the SLU men’s basketball schedule page.

HARDWOOD CLUB/S CLUB

Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the basketball program are encouraged to join the Hardwood Club.  Lion alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letterwinners.  All membership fees and donations to Hardwood Club are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern basketball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Basketball, follow @LionUpMBB and @DavidKieferSLU on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.

TICKETS

For ticket information, please contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net/tickets. Southeastern is implementing mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.