On Dec. 30, the Southeastern men’s basketball team defeated the Loyola Wolf Pack 87-64 to win their fifth game of the season and their third straight at the Pride Roofing University Center.
The Lions used a barrage of threes in the first half to put the game out of reach and enter 2024 on a hot streak. SLU buried seven out of 13 triples, four of which came from freshman point guard Kam Burton.
From the 8:47 mark in the first half to the 4:44 mark, Southeastern embarked on a 16-4 run. Burton scored 12 points in that period to give the Lions a 36-20 lead.
In addition to Burton, the Green and Gold saw four more players enter double digits. Senior guard/forward Nick Caldwell (17), junior guard Roger McFarlane (15), senior guard Roscoe Eastmond (10) and graduate guard Alec Woodard (10).
McFarlane pulled down a season-high 14 boards, while Eastmond recorded a career-high 13 dimes.
Over the three-game winning streak, Southeastern has outscored its opponents 196-166 while forcing nearly 10 turnovers per game. The offense and defense are coming around for the Green and Gold after a dreadful 2-8 start to the season.
As opposed to their last game versus Grambling, the Lions took just 34 seconds to score their first points. Woodard missed a jumper, but Caldwell pulled down the offensive board and scored a contested layup to start the game.
Forward Braelee Albert responded with a three, and that was the first and only time the Wolf Pack saw a lead. Southeastern extended its lead to eight points before Burton caught fire from three.
Albert tried to keep pace with the Lions by pouring in nine first-half points but to no avail. Southeastern extended its lead to 15 points at intermission.
Following the break, SLU shot 51.5% from the floor in the second half to maintain its huge lead. The Green and Gold were ahead by 26 points following a three from Eastmond with 5:45 left. Albert ended the game with 18 points and five rebounds for Loyola.
On Saturday, Jan. 6, the Lions will start their crusade in the Southland Conference. They have a road date with the University of New Orleans at 4 p.m. Both ball clubs are 5-8 on the season; however, UNO are losers of two straight while Southeastern has all the momentum heading into the matchup.
Catch the game live on ESPN+, and tune in at The Lion’s Roar for more information and coverage on Lions basketball.
