LAKELAND, Fla.—Southeastern University's men's basketball program has been a part of the NAIA Division II Showcase all three years of its existence.
The Fire are 2-2 all-time at the event, which features some of the top programs from around the country on the men's and women's side in Kingsport, Tenn.
In 2017, SEU faces two new teams in Northwestern Ohio and Robert Morris.
Southeastern picked up a pair of conference wins last week, defeating Webber International at The Furnace, 98-67, then went to Lake Wales and beat Warner, 79-77.
Ever since
R-Jay Barsh took over as head coach, the Fire have always been known for their scoring prowess. That's no different this season, as the Fire rank 13
th in NAIA Division II in scoring at 93.4 points per game, and hold the third-best field goal percentage at .539.
Ryan Atkins has been a welcome addition to the offense, shooting 63% from 3-point range and 67% overall. The Miami native is averaging 21 points per game, ranking him 18
th in NAIA Division II.
On the other side of the floor, the Fire are holding its opponents to just 30.2 rebounds per game and 71.8 points per contest.
The Racers of UNOH sit at 4-3 to start the year, and are coming off of a tough 78-76 loss to Madonna on Tuesday. UNOH rallied from 14 down to take a 76-74 lead with 99 seconds to play, but were unable to hang on.
In its first seven games, UNOH has shot 79% from the foul line, having been set there 119 times. However, the Racers have also allowed 119 trips to the charity stripe by committing 128 fouls; 19 more than their opponents.
Individually, Sadeeq Bello is averaging just north of 16 points per game, and has made 19 of his 23 free throws this year.
Following an 0-2 start to the season, the Eagles of Robert Morris have won three straight by a combined 21 points. A 78-67 win at IU South Bend in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference opener led to a 2-point win at Trinity Christian three nights later, then an 8-point overtime win at home against Judson.
Against Judson, Matthew Leddy scored 22 points, hitting on 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-7 at the line. He also collected a team-high 14 rebounds in 33 minutes.
Both games are slated to tip off at 11 a.m. Eastern Time at the MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center.
