SLU vs. UIW
The Lions had a rocky first half on Saturday, trading points with UIW, but later in the half, senior guard Sam Hines Jr. led the charge, shooting all over the paint to secure the lead, while electrifying the crowd with a poster dunk. To close the first half, graduate student guard Carlos Paez sank a buzzer-beater half-court shot to cement the lead to 43-32.
Hines reflected on the team’s performance in the first half.
“Basketball is a game, and so you don’t have to worry about the start sometimes, but you have to worry about what you’re going to do for the next 40 minutes. So we just have to bounce back and not let them get started,” Hines said.
With the start of the second half, the Lions never looked back, as freshman forward Jeremy Elyzee put on a clinic, while sophomore guard Kam Burton turned the heat on high with two back-to-back fast-break dunks. Senior guard Jakevion Buckley finished with his seventh double-double performance of the season.
Head coach David Kiefer commended his squad on overcoming its early struggles.
“I just thought it was an overall team win. Defensively, our guys were locked. It was kind of a little bit of a slow start. Once we got the pace of the game moving, really sharing the basketball and getting stops, I thought our guys settled down and were really good,” Kiefer said.
SLU vs. HCU
On Monday against Houston Christian (10-11, 7-3 SLC) at the UC, the Lions could not slow down the hot hands of Husky guards Bryson Dawkins and Julian Mackey. The pair combined for 54 points, including 10 three-pointers, for Houston Christian. It was evident that guarding the perimeter was a problem all night for the Lions.
“They have a couple guys who can really shoot from the perimeter, and the ones who made the shots are the shooters,” Kiefer said. “It’s tough when you get someone that’s a 27% three point shooter on the year and he makes six threes in the first half (Bryson Dawkins), that really got them going.”
Although HCU seemed unstoppable on offense, Southeastern kept the game within reach, never giving up a double-digit lead. Players such as Hines, who finished the night with 23 points and six rebounds, and junior forward Brody Rowbury, who also contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, were instrumental in keeping the game close. It would take more than just the pair to bring down the Huskies in Hammond.
Hines surpassed 1,000 career points after his efforts against the Huskies, achieving an impressive individual milestone.
The Duluth, Georgia native started his collegiate career playing for Denver for one year before transferring to South Florida, where he would spend the next three seasons. Hines is now enjoying his fifth and final campaign in Hammond, America for the Green and Gold.
“We have the guys,” Kiefer said. “The ball just didn’t go in, sometimes that happens, our defense and rebounding has to carry us when it’s not going in and I think we can be better than we were tonight.”
The Lions were on par with HCU in rebounds and scored more buckets in the paint. However, Southeastern faltered at the free-throw line, shooting 57% to the Huskies’ 75%, and struggled beyond the arc, converting 18% to HCU’s whopping 50% from three.
Southeastern will look to bounce back on Saturday, February 1, when they take on New Orleans (4-17) at home in Hammond. The Lions won their last matchup 91-71.
As always, you can watch the Lions on ESPN+ or listen to them on 90.0 The Lion. Visit The Lion’s Roar for more information and coverage on Southeastern sports.
