No. 7 UNO pulls 82-78 upset over No. 3 Southeastern in 2023 Jersey Mike’s Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Championship

LAKE CHARLES, La. – Seventh-seeded New Orleans pulled their second upset in two nights, taking down third-seeded Southeastern Louisiana, 82-78, in the quarterfinal of the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Championship presented by LouisianaTravel.com on Monday evening.

New Orleans (12-19) overall fought off a double figure deficit in the first half to advance to Tuesday’s semifinal at 8 p.m. against second-seeded Northwestern State on ESPN+. Southeastern’s season ends at 18-14.

The Privateers advance to the semifinals for the third time in the last four full tournaments. They are the sixth No. 7 seed to advance to the semifinals in SLC Tournament history and first since 2011.

Jordan Johnson led the Privateers with 32 points, including 11-of-12 free throws and has scored 61 points in two tournament games. Jamond Vincent recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 points, and Tyson Jackson netted 11 points.

The Lions had five players in double digit scoring, led by Boogie Anderson’s 18 points. Brody Rowbury and Nick Caldwell scored 13 points apiece, and Roscoe Eastmond and Roger McFarlane each netted 10 points.

The first nine minutes leaned the Lions’ way, as Southeastern rushed out to a 20-9 lead with Caldwell punctuating the run with a three-pointer. New Orleans fought back immediately with an 11-0 run in less than two minutes, with a Johnson fast break trey tying the game at 20-all at the 9:03 mark.

Southeastern was limited to four field goals in the half from there on, while the Privateers took off on the run, taking a 36-31 lead into the halftime break.

The second half started with four points from Rowbury and the Lions tied the game up within two and a half minutes. The game was tied as late at the 12:17 mark before New Orleans would score two baskets to the Lions’ one. After a pair of Johnson three-pointers in succession, the UNO lead jumped to 12 points with 6:24 to go.

New Orleans led by 13 points with just over two minutes to play and the Lions roared back. UNO only hit free throws in the late going, while SLU hit shots to narrow the lead to two points in the final seconds. Marquez Cooper sealed the UNO win with a pair of free throws.