MONTGOMERY, Ala. - After practicing for a week after becoming both the Sun Conference regular season and tournament Champions, the Southeastern men's basketball team heads to Faulkner University to face Union College (Ky.) in Montgomery for the first round of the NAIA National Tournament.
The Fire (18-12, 12-4 SUN) have won 10 of their last 11 games with the last two coming from the Sun Conference Championship Tournament. Through this stretch, Southeastern averaged 71.5 points per game, shot 46% from the field, 33% from the three-point line, 73% from the free throw line, while holding opponents to 63.7 points per game. Riley Minix has made 93 of his 159 shots in the last 11 outings leading the team in field goal percentage (58.5%), averaging 22.5 points per game. Defensively, Minix has been just as efficient as he leads the team in rebounds with 159 in 11 games averaging 14.5 rebounds per game.
Nationally, Minix leads the nation in rebounds per game averaging 13.8 per game and is ranked third in points per game with 25.3. Reggie Messidor is second in field goal percentage (44.6%) and leads the team in three-pointers made with 31 making 40.8% of his attempts during this stretch.
The #6 seeded Union Bulldogs (27-2, 24-0 AAC) were ranked third in the nation in the 2022-23 NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Final Poll on February 22nd. The Bulldogs come into the tournament averaging 88 points per game which ranks second across the nation, shooting 44% from the field, 33% from the three-point line, and 75% from the free throw line. Union holds their opponents to 75 points per game and rank third in the nation in rebounding. The Bulldogs have three players averaging over 18 points per game with Markelle Turner leading the way averaging 19.2 points per game with a field goal percentage of 38.6%. Terrin Hamilton, the team's second-leading scorer averages 18.2 points per game on 45% shooting and Markelo Sullivan averages 18.1 points per game making 46.% of his shots. Anton Mozga leads the team in rebounds per game, averaging 7.7.
The Fire and Bulldogs have met two times in the past where the record is split 1-1. Southeastern won the last contest on the road 74-70 back on November 28, 2021.
The Fire are set to take on the Bulldogs tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. EST at the Tine W. Davis Gymnasium.
