Troy Allen
Junior SLU guard Roger McFarlane sizes up Loyola New Orleans defender during contest at the Pride Roofing University Center. McFarlane paces the Lions with 13.5 points per game. (Dec. 30, 2023 - Hammond)
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.