LAKELAND, Fla.— After picking up a win against Ave Maria, Southeastern will host the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) and Goshen College in the SEU Classic this weekend.
The Fire are off to their best start since 2001, going 10-1 in their first 11 contests of the season. Southeastern is also 5-0 in Sun Conference play for the first time in program history as it heads into two non-conference matchups.
SEU has been able to distance themselves from competitors by forcing turnovers. The team ranks 14
th in the nation in steals per game (9.2), led by Ryan Atkins, who forces an average of 2.2 turnovers per game (ranked 14
th). This defense has allowed the Fire to hold opponents to a mere 70.5 points over the course of the season, which ranks 11
th nationally, and outscore opposition by an average of 16.5 points (sixth in the NAIA).
Not only does Atkins lead the Fire on the defensive side of the ball, but he also puts up impressive offensive numbers. The senior averages a conference-high 21.1 points per game, making him the 16
th-best scorer in the country.
On Friday, the Fire will face off with the University of Saint Francis Cougars in a battle with one of the nation's top teams. No. 2 Saint Francis is currently riding a nine-game winning streak and tops the Crossroads League with a 4-0 conference record.
In each of their last three games, the Cougars have had at least four players in double-digits. The most consistent threat for Saint Francis is Derek Hinen, who has heated up as of late. Over the last four games, Hinen has averaged 25.0 points per game and has shot 58.9% from the field. The senior has yet to be held under 11 points so far, while producing a team-high 4.3 assists per game.
After battling with Saint Francis on Friday, Southeastern will host the Goshen College Maple Leafs on Saturday.
The Maple Leafs boast the 20
th-best scoring offense in the NAIA, averaging just shy of 88 points per game. Goshen has scored 106 points in back-to-back games heading into its road trip to central Florida and is fresh off of a 117-point offensive explosion versus East-West University.
In the 117-65 victory, six Maple Leaf players scored double-digit point totals, led by Billy Geschke, who tallied 20 points with five assists. Geschke leads Goshen by scoring 19.8 points per game, ranking him 29
th in the country in the category. The senior has only been held under ten points in one competition this season, and has hit the 20-point mark seven times in 2017.
The matchup with Saint Francis is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., while tip off against Goshen is set for 4 p.m. Both games will be held in the Furnace.
