'Jacks Set To Open SLC Play Thursday Night
1/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 6, 2004
CONFERENCE OPENER: Following a successful non-conference season, the Lumberjacks go on the road for the first time since Dec. 11 to open the Southland Conference season against Northwestern State. SFA wrapped up the non-conference portion of its schedule last weekend with a 65-53 win over Lyon College to move to 9-2 on the year. The 'Jacks have won five straight entering Thursday night's game. SFA is 3-0 in conference openers under Danny Kaspar and is 10-6 in Southland Conference openers since beginning SLC play in 1986-87. The Lumberjacks begin conference play as one of the favorites to claim the conference championship and one of two teams with a record above the .500 mark.
LAST GAME: SFA closed out the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 65-53 win over Lyon College, in the coliseum. The win was the 21st straight in the coliseum. F Taylor Moore posted his second double-double of the year with a 17-point, 11-rebound effort against the Scots. F Antonio Burks also returned to form with 15 points and G Marcus Clark also added 13 for the 'Jacks. The Lumberjacks trailed at the half 31-28, but came out in the second half and played much better, shooting just over 50 percent from the floor and outscoring Lyon 37-22 in the second half of play. It marked the first time this year the Lumberjacks have won when trailing at the half. The 'Jacks also had a string of six straight games in which they have outrebounded an opponent snapped as Lyon beat them on the boards, 38-36.
VS. NORTHWESTERN STATE: Northwestern State leads the overall series, 52-44. The Demons also hold a 21-11 edge in the series since both teams became members of the SLC. The 'Jacks have won four straight over Northwestern State following a string in which Northwestern State had won 10 in a row.
THE DEMONS: Northwestern State enters conference play with a 2-8 record and has dropped three straight. The Demons have lost six of their last seven games including a three point loss to Arkansas State (80-77), Dec. 29 at the Lobo Classic, the last time out. Northwestern State is averaging 67.7 points per game while allowing opponents 79.4 ppg. The Demons are shooting just .390 from the field and just .262 on three point attempts. Northwestern State is averaging 39.5 rpg while giving up 38.6 rpg. Jermaine Wallace leads the Demons in scoring with a 13.5 ppg average. Clifton Lee is adding 12.4 ppg. Lee also leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game.
THE COACHES: The Lumberjacks are coached by Danny Kaspar (271-94) in his fourth year with the Lumberjacks. Kaspar is 52-42 at SFA. The fourth year head moved past Stan McKewen on the all-time wins list in seventh place, at 50 with the win over Cameron. Next on the list is Glen Rose with 56 wins at SFA. Kaspar is 4-2 against the Demons. The Demons are coached by Mike McConathy, in his fifth year at Northwestern State. McConathy is 57-75 at Northwestern State and 4-4 against the Lumberjacks. McConathy led Northwestern State to the NCAA tournament following the 2001 season.
UP NEXT: SFA returns home to host McNeese State, Jan. 15. SFA then plays host to Southeastern Louisiana, Jan. 17 in the coliseum before returning to the road to take on UL-Monroe, Jan 22.
