Lions surge past Cardinals, 76-69

HAMMOND, La. – Marlain Veal scored 22 points to lead the Southeastern Louisiana men’s basketball team to a 76-69 win over Lamar Wednesday night at the University Center.

The Lions (5-12, 1-3 Southland) snapped an 8-game losing streak that included five losses in the final seconds.

Southeastern had four score in double figures led by Veal, the New Orleans, Louisiana native. The senior finished 9-for-11 from the free throw line, shot 5-for-11 from the field, had four assists and three steals. Moses Greenwood added 16 points and five rebounds on 6-for-8 shooting. Keith Charleston added 12 points and seven rebounds while Brandon Gonzalez chipped in with 11 points.

SLU freshman forward Ty Brewer, a Meridian, Mississippi native, provide a huge spark in scoring eight first half points while Charleston and Greenwood were in foul trouble. Brewer finished with nine points and five rebounds and played 14 minutes

“Ty did exactly what we needed from him,” said fifth-year SLU men’s basketball coach Jay Ladner. “Our fans got a glimpse of the future and what he is capable of.”

The Lions outrebounded Lamar (8-10, 1-4 Southland) 36-27. LU came into the game leading the conference in rebounds and was 13th in the nation in offensive rebounds averaging 14.1 per game.

SLU continued their torrid free throw shooting hitting 18-for-22 from the charity stripe. The Lions are shooting 66-for-77 (87 percent) from the line in four conference games.

Southeastern and Lamar went back and forth in the first half before Greenwood scored just before the first half buzzer giving SLU a 33-32 halftime lead.

SLU led 48-47 with 10:26 remaining when Greenwood and Charleston took over. The Lions went on a 12-1 run to open up a 60-48 lead with 6:48 to go. The Cardinals never got closer than six the rest of the way as the Lions picked up the win thanks to Charleston and Greenwood scoring 20 combined points in the final 10 minutes.

“That’s the kind of effort we need from Moses and Keith,” said Ladner. “Those two guys are the center piece of this team along with Marlain (Veal) and when they play like they did tonight, we are tough to beat.”

The Lions will return to the court Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. against McNeese (6-12, 2-3 Southland) in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Cowboys defeated Nicholls, 86-75, Wednesday night at home.

“We are looking at each game like a one-game playoff,” Ladner. “And it starts Saturday at McNeese. We have fourteen playoff games and I know that sounds like a lot but that’s the mentality we have to have. There is no team in this league we can’t beat on any given night but on the same token there is no team (in the league) that can’t beat us.”

Saturday’s game will be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Lions Game Day Experience, TuneIn Radio and RadioFX apps.

INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN BASKETBALL WITH JAY LADNER
Each Monday night at 7 p.m., beginning Jan. 7, ‘Inside Southeastern Basketball with Jay Ladner’ broadcasts live on 90.9 KSLU from Rainbow Daiquiris at 14384 West Thomas Street. Talk college hoops with Coach Ladner and host Allen Waddell, cover the finer points of each game and preview upcoming games. If you can’t join the crowd, you can submit a question at www.LionSports.net for the “Ask the Coach” segment. Inside Southeastern Basketball with Jay Ladner airs each Monday night during the Lions’ Southland Conference schedule on the Southeastern Sports Radio Network.

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 @SLU_Hoops and @CoachLadner on Twitter, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.

BOX SCORE
At University Center (Hammond, La.)
SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 76, LAMAR UNIVERSITY 69
LAMAR UNIVERSITY (8-10, 1-4 SLC)
Hunter, Jordan 7-16 0-0 16; Nzeakor, Josh 7-14 2-6 16; Garth, Nick 4-10 2-2 11; Atwood, T.J. 3-8 3-4 10; Holmes, V.J. 3-3 1-2 7; Barrett, Christian 0-2 5-6 5; Kolawole, Michael 0-2 2-2 2; Easter, Grehlon 1-3 0-0 2; Foster, Jordan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 25-58 15-22 69.

SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (5-12, 1-3 SLC)
Veal, Marlain 5-11 9-11 22; Greenwood, Moses 6-8 4-4 16; Charleston, Keith 5-8 2-3 12; Gonzalez, Brandon 3-6 2-2 11; Brewer, Ty 4-7 1-2 9; Julien, Von 1-3 0-0 2; Diop, Pape 1-3 0-0 2; Brown, Kajon 1-3 0-0 2; Saunders, Jeremiah 0-1 0-0 0; Starwood, Maxwell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-50 18-22 76.

Lamar University………………..32 37 – 69
Southeastern Louisiana…….. 33 43 – 76

3-point goals–Lamar University 4-16 (Hunter, Jordan 2-7; Garth, Nick 1-6; Atwood, T.J. 1-2; Easter, Grehlon 0-1), Southeastern Louisiana 6-16 (Veal, Marlain 3-5; Gonzalez, Brandon 3-3; Charleston, Keith 0-1; Brewer, Ty 0-1; Julien, Von 0-1; Diop, Pape 0-1; Brown, Kajon 0-2; Saunders, Jeremiah 0-1; Greenwood, Moses 0-1). Fouled out–Lamar University-None, Southeastern Louisiana-Brewer, Ty. Rebounds–Lamar University 27 (Nzeakor, Josh 8), Southeastern Louisiana 36 (Charleston, Keith 7). Assists–Lamar University 9 (Holmes, V.J. 4), Southeastern Louisiana 17 (Julien, Von 6). Total
fouls–Lamar University 23, Southeastern Louisiana 20. Technical fouls–Lamar University-None, Southeastern Louisiana-None. A-605