LAKELAND, Fla.—The Fire men's basketball team starts the second half of its season Thursday night in Montgomery, Ala. at The Sun/Southern States Crossover Classic.
Southeastern sits at 7-7 with 14 games remaining and holds a 3-2 Sun Conference record. It last played on December 17
th in a 66-62 comeback win over Truett-McConnell in the final game of the SEU Classic to improve to 4-2 in the month of December.
Over the last six games, Fire senior
Riley Minix has averaged 28.7 points and 13.7 rebounds per game. The Vero Beach native has shot 62% of the field in December as well.
Reggie Mesidor has been the top shooter from outside with 16 successful 3-pointers and a 36.4% success rate.
Southeastern has had success on the glass averaging 40.2 rebounds per game in December and an average rebound margin of 4.7. The Fire have hauled in 67 offensive rebounds with
Sean Shore leading the way with 22.
Faulkner enters Thursday's game ranked eighth in the NAIA Coaches' Top 25 with a 10-2 overall record. The losses came in back-to-back games on the road at Blue Mountain Christian 75-65 on December 6
th and December 15
th at Life, 87-81. The Eagles are a perfect 7-0 at Tine Davis Gymnasium this season.
Offense is the name of the game for Faulkner, which averages 84.8 points per game ranking 29
th in the NAIA. The Eagles are 46.9% from the field and shoot 38% from 3-point range. Like SEU, the Eagles have been successful on the offensive glass, averaging 13.4 offensive boards per game, ranking 12
th nationally. Guard CJ Hines averages a team-best 19.6 points per game and Trace Hill has averaged 16.9 per game.
Friday, the Fire will face another good offensive rebounding team in Talladega which is ninth nationally at 13.7 per game. The Tornadoes are also 19
th nationally in points allowed per game at 63.7. Opponents have shot just 37.7% from the field and 27.9% from 3-point range against Talladega in December. The offense has struggled, having eclipsed 70 points just twice in 12 games this season and not since November 24
th.
Both games will be streamed live at ssacsports.tv.
