LAKELAND, Fla.- Southeastern University is hosting the SEU This One's For ____ Classic Thursday and Friday, with some of the top men's basketball teams in the NAIA taking part in the two day format.
Proceeds from the sale of t-shirts and wristbands will benefit two local families that are battling cancer. Donations will also be taken at the door.
The tournament tips off at 5 p.m. on Thursday with NAIA Division I #24 Evangel takes on NAIA Division II receiving votes Olivet Nazarene University. The 19th-ranked host Fire take the floor at 7 p.m. against NAIA Division I #23 Southwestern Assemblies of God University. The second day of the tournament pits SAGU against Olivet Nazarene at 5 p.m. and Evangel taking on Southeastern at 7 p.m.
Evangel comes in with a 4-4 record, with two losses to perennial power, #25 College of the Ozarks. The Crusaders are paced by senior forward Korry Tillery, who is averaging 16.3 points per game, and has been in double figures in seven of Evangel's eight games.
Olivet Nazarene is off to a 9-4 start, and has won three of their first four games in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Tigers rank in the top 10 in NAIA Division II in assists per game, rebounds per game, defensive rebounding, total assists, and 3-point defense. Individually, Aaron Larson has led the way, averaging 18.5 points per game, which included a career-high 33 points in an 83-62 win over Huntington University.
SAGU has won nine of their first 11 games of the season with one of the better defensive teams in the NAIA. The Lions are tops in steals with 169, and are giving up just 64.8 points per game. The tandem of Jonathan Walter and Remington Mitchell has made scoring against SAGU difficult, with Walter ranking seventh in NAIA Division I in steals (25), and Mitchell 11th in blocks (21). Walter is also the squad's leading scorer at 14.2 points per game.
Southeastern checks in with a 4-2 record, and are unbeaten in their first two Sun Conference contests. The Fire boast one of the highest scoring offenses in the NAIA at 87 points per game. They have shot close to 50% from the field in their first five games. Individually, senior Andre' Winston is third in NAIA Division II in scoring at 27.2 points per game, and also averages 3.2 steals per game. The Portland State transfer has shot at least 50% from the field in four of his five games.
Admission is free for all games. Live video will be available at portal.stretchinternet.com/southeastern.
