The Southeastern Lions men’s basketball team beat the Delta State Statesmen 90-71 in their season opener on Monday night at the Pride Roofing University Center. 

The Lions saw six players score in double figures: junior guard Roger McFarlane (14), senior guard Roscoe Eastmond (13), senior forward Nick Caldwell (13), graduate student guard Avery Wilson (11), sophomore forward Brock Rowbury (10) and graduate student guard Alec Woodard (10). 

Rowbury led SLU in rebounds with eight, and graduate student guard Carlos Paez had six assists and no turnovers off the bench. 

Collectively, the team shot an efficient 62.1% from the field and 40% from behind the arc. SLU scored 62 out of their 90 points from inside the paint, contributing to 21 free throw attempts. Defensively, the Green and Gold demonstrated their prowess by amassing eight steals, which led to 31 fast break points.

Their stout defense held the Statesmen to a mere 38.4% from the field and 16.2% from three. Their relentless full-court pressure and elite rotations in the half-court setting gave DSU problems all night. 

Forward Maalik Cartwright was a bright spot for Delta State, however. He lit up Southeastern for 17 points on 8-12 shooting (66.7%) in the loss. Cartwright also recorded four assists to just one turnover and had a block. 

To start the match, it was a back-and-forth game with both teams trading buckets. DSU’s Cartwright initiated the game with a layup, promptly answered by Caldwell’s jumper. Following a missed three-point attempt by Delta State, Eastmond swiftly advanced down the court for an uncontested layup.

However, between the 16:22 mark of the first half and the 7:37 mark, SLU exhibited an impressive surge, outscoring the Statesmen 22-9 and commanding a 33-15 lead. By the end of the first half, the Lions had amassed a substantial 23-point advantage.

The Green and Gold outscored DSU 48-25 while shooting a scorching hot 77.8% from the field. In contrast, Delta State shot just 31.3% from the field and 6.3% from three. 

The Statesmen mounted a spirited comeback attempt in the first 10 minutes of the second half. They outscored the Lions 32-18 to make it a 66-57 ball game; Cartwright played a central role in the resurgence, scoring or assisting on 14 of their points. DSU managed to narrow the gap to nine points from what had previously been a seemingly insurmountable 23-point deficit. 

After a timeout from Head Coach David Kiefer, the Lions regrouped and held on to their lead. SLU outscored Delta State 24-14 for the remainder of the period. Caldwell’s back-to-back dunks in transition, which gave the crowd some much-needed excitement, were the highlight of the run. 

Wilson also scored eight out of his 13 points in the second half to aid SLU in maintaining their lead. 

In the second half, the Statesmen shot 43.9% from the field, a stark improvement compared to the first. Southeastern dropped to 48.4% but still walked away with a victory and a 1-0 start to the season.

The Lions will travel to Auburn, Alabama, on Nov. 10 to face off against formidable SEC opponent Auburn Tigers. 

In what should be a marquee matchup, tune in on SEC Network+ at 7 p.m. to watch the game live. 

For more information and coverage on Lion basketball, visit The Lion’s Roar.