SLU Lions (1-3) at California Baptist Lancers (0-2)
Dec. 4, 2020 | 4 p.m. CT | Riverside, California | CBU Events Center
Series History: Series Tied 1-1
Last Meeting: SLU 81, CBU 80 (Dec. 2, 2020, Riverside, Calif.)
Watch: WAC Digital Network
Radio: None
Live Video
Live Stats
RIVERSIDE, Calif. – After Wednesday’s thrilling, 81-80, last-second victory over California Baptist, the Southeastern Louisiana men’s basketball team takes on CBU for the second straight game Friday afternoon at 4 p.m. CT in the CBU Events Center.
The Lions (1-3) rallied from a 14-point second half deficit capped off by a lay-up with less than a second left by Isiah Kirby to give SLU their first victory of the season. Kirby, a sophomore from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, scored a career-high 18 points for the game to lead the Lions to the win over CBU.
SLU played half the game Wednesday without their senior leader Keon Clergeot who was in foul trouble. Clergeot, a UMass transfer, played just 20 minutes as he was whistled for his third foul with 6:31 left in the first half and his fourth with 16:57 left in the game.
“The guys really did a great job of staying the course when Keon went out,” said second-year SLU head basketball coach David Kiefer. “And Keon did an excellent job of coaching the guys up from the bench to the point where it almost felt like he was still on the floor. But the best part was the ‘next man up’ mentality that the team showed. Everybody was ready to go in and do their part.”
Entering Friday’s game, SLU seems to have found their way from the three-point line. After shooting just 10-for-78 (12 percent) from beyond the arc in the first three games, SLU drilled 11 three-pointers Wednesday.
“We are really a good shooting basketball team,” said Kiefer. “We haven’t been able to get in the gym much the last two weeks because of COVID so I knew the more reps that we got that it was going to come and it did last night.”
Southeastern will play their fifth of a 10-game road trip Friday. In the first 10 days of the season, SLU has played four games in four different states including Indiana, Alabama, Louisiana and California. The Lions made the 1,000-mile journey to Purdue Fort Wayne for the season opener, then drove 400 miles to face UAB in the opening week of the season. Monday, the Lions took on LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana then made the 1800-mile trip to Riverside for the two games with CBU.
“As much as we’ve had to sit at home for quarantine and what not,” said Kiefer. “The last thing we are worried about is traveling too much. This is exactly what we all enjoy doing. Yeah, the travel has been tough but it beats the alternative of not playing.”
Following Friday’s contest, SLU will return to Louisiana for a matchup with Louisiana Tech on the road Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m.
Fans can watch Wednesday’s game on WAC Digital Network. Web links to video and stats are available on the basketball schedule page at LionSports.Net.
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 for the 2020-21 season. 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.
{Courtesy: lionssports.net}
