SFA (7-5) vs. Southeastern Louisiana (4-9)
WHEN: JAN. 2 (WED) 6:30 P.M.
WHERE: WRJ Coliseum (Nacogdoches, TX)
WATCH: ESPN+
Southland Conference play starts in Nacogdoches with a rematch of the last SLC game played in Katy last year. SELA and SFA get to pull out the measuring stick real fast to see who's going to have the target on their back for the season. SELA has spent most of their fall being destroyed in money games by P5 teams with their top win being a one point slide by Tulane.
Led by last year's SLC Defensive POY point guard Marlain Veal, SELA has struggled this year offensively. They haven't quite figured out how to replicate their inside-out style from last year's first place team. Freshman Parker Edwards made some noise going ballistic off the bench from deep against LSU, but after that one outburst, the Lions have stayed cold from outside making less than 30% of threes. Turning over the ball an average of 17 times a game has seen SELA lose to Mississippi Valley State and the powerhouse California Baptist. Ball control and shooting struggles have limited this team, but their one point loss at home against Louisiana-Lafayette last game was probably their best effort of the year.
SFA knows this is a grudge match. Technically we got our revenge on last year's loss in the finals, but the SLC's insistence on scheduling due to proximity of schools instead of strength of schools gives SELA another easy schedule. In fact, it's the same schedule that saw SELA win the game against SFA and stay away for the SLC crown. No way SFA is going to let this game go easy this year. Keller knows that this win is worth two down the road. It's hard to say the first Southland game is a must win, but this team and the veterans feel it.
John Comeaux gets to back up his stunning debut with a chance to solidify the point position against the best point in the conference. Limiting turnovers and getting the offensive boards is going to be the key. Our inside talent should give us the edge, but we cannot get into foul trouble early. Bogues and Harris just have to play like normal. This should be a relatively good matchup after our last two D1 opponents, but we can't come in as top dogs. We have to play with a chip on our shoulder.
WHEN: JAN. 2 (WED) 6:30 P.M.
WHERE: WRJ Coliseum (Nacogdoches, TX)
WATCH: ESPN+
Southland Conference play starts in Nacogdoches with a rematch of the last SLC game played in Katy last year. SELA and SFA get to pull out the measuring stick real fast to see who's going to have the target on their back for the season. SELA has spent most of their fall being destroyed in money games by P5 teams with their top win being a one point slide by Tulane.
Led by last year's SLC Defensive POY point guard Marlain Veal, SELA has struggled this year offensively. They haven't quite figured out how to replicate their inside-out style from last year's first place team. Freshman Parker Edwards made some noise going ballistic off the bench from deep against LSU, but after that one outburst, the Lions have stayed cold from outside making less than 30% of threes. Turning over the ball an average of 17 times a game has seen SELA lose to Mississippi Valley State and the powerhouse California Baptist. Ball control and shooting struggles have limited this team, but their one point loss at home against Louisiana-Lafayette last game was probably their best effort of the year.
SFA knows this is a grudge match. Technically we got our revenge on last year's loss in the finals, but the SLC's insistence on scheduling due to proximity of schools instead of strength of schools gives SELA another easy schedule. In fact, it's the same schedule that saw SELA win the game against SFA and stay away for the SLC crown. No way SFA is going to let this game go easy this year. Keller knows that this win is worth two down the road. It's hard to say the first Southland game is a must win, but this team and the veterans feel it.
John Comeaux gets to back up his stunning debut with a chance to solidify the point position against the best point in the conference. Limiting turnovers and getting the offensive boards is going to be the key. Our inside talent should give us the edge, but we cannot get into foul trouble early. Bogues and Harris just have to play like normal. This should be a relatively good matchup after our last two D1 opponents, but we can't come in as top dogs. We have to play with a chip on our shoulder.
Ryan
Kinnaird Guitars
Kinnaird Guitars