Lumberjacks Open SLC Tournament
3/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 7, 2006
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - After opening Southland Conference play with an 0-3 mark, the Lumberjacks pulled off an impressive turnaround down the stretch to not only qualify for the SLC postseason tournament but earn the right to host a first-round game Tuesday night against McNeese State. The contest is set to tip off at 7 p.m. from the William R. Johnson Coliseum. The Lumberjacks (16-11, 9-7) won six of their last eight contests to finish the regular season in a three-team tie for fourth place with McNeese State and Lamar. SFA earned the No. 4 seed by virtue of its 3-1 record against the other two tied teams. Tuesday will mark the fourth time in school history for the Lumberjacks to host an SLC tournament game. SFA is 3-0 in those contests.
LAST GAME: Freshman Josh Alexander hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to give SFA a 73-72 win over Sam Houston State in the regular-season finale. The victory assured SFA of a No. 4 seed and home game in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament. Alexander's 3-pointer stopped a 16-0 Sam Houston State run that had erased a 14-point Lumberjack lead. Junior forward Antuane Miller scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Lumberjacks.
VS. McNEESE STATE: The Lumberjacks trail the all-time series against McNeese State with a 32-35 record. SFA is 5-7 against the Cowboys under head coach Danny Kaspar. The series is split over the last 10 games, and the Lumberjacks have won three of the last four meetings with McNeese State, including a season sweep of this year's series. SFA is 1-0 against the Cowboys in SLC Tournament action. The teams' only postseason meeting was a 94-91 Lumberjack win in the first round of the 1996 tournament.
THE COWBOYS: McNeese State finished the regular season on a three-game slide to wrap up the year with a 14-13 overall record and a 9-7 mark in Southland Conference action. The Cowboys' season-ending loss to Texas-Arlington gave the Lumberjacks the edge they needed to earn the No. 4 seed in the SLC tournament.
THE COACHES: Danny Kaspar is in his sixth season as head coach of the Lumberjacks. Including a nine-year stint as head coach at Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Kaspar is 311-127 (.710) over his 14-year coaching career. Kaspar has guided the Lumberjacks to a 92-75 (.551) mark during his tenure. Tic Price is 167-121 (.580) in 10 years as a head coach. He is 74-67 (.525) in five years as head coach at McNeese State. ™ NOTE: For complete game notes, click the "Weekly Release" link in the side bar of the men's basketball home page.
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