SFA To Play Two At Home
2/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Game 26: Stephen F. Austin (21-4, 11-1 SLC) vs. Nicholls (7-15, 4-8 SLC)
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb. 21 • 6:00 p.m. CT
Site: William R. Johnson Colisem (7,203)
Stream: SFAJacks.com
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
Talent: Rob Meyers (PXP)
Live Stats | @SFA_MBB (#AxeEm/#DreamBigger)
OTHER NOTES
• SFA vs. NICHOLLS: The `Jacks will meet Nicholls for the 58th time on the hardwood when the two teams face off on Saturday. SFA leads the all-time series 34-23, having won the last six meetings. The `Jacks, who are 18-10 against the Colonels in Nacogdoches, defeated NICH 93-64 at home last season.
• SCOUTING NICHOLLS: NICH enters Saturday's 7-15 overall and 4-8 in Southland Conference play, under 11th-year head coach J.P. Piper. The Colonels were tabbed eighth in both Southland Conference preseason polls.
NICH is currently on a two-game losing streak, falling by single digits to Incarnate Word (73-64) and Southeastern Louisiana (65-59). The Colonels are led offensively by Amin Torres (10.1 ppg). Sam McBeath leads the team with 6.3 rebounds per game, while Richie Lewis holds the mark in assists with 2.3 per game.
• SFA vs. LAMAR: The `Jacks will meet Lamar for the 58th time on the hardwood when the two teams face off on Monday. SFA leads the all-time series 31-26, having won the last five meetings. The `Jacks, who are 18-9 against the Cardinals in Nacogdoches, defeated LU 82-65 in Beaumont, Texas earlier this season.
• SCOUTING LAMAR: LU enters the weekend 7-15 overall and 4-8 in Southland Conference play, under first-full-year head coach Tic Price. The Cardinals finished the 2013-14 season with a 1-4 record with Price serving as an interim head coach, before Price was named head coach on March 18.
LU is currently on a two-game win streak, with victories over Abilene Christian (80-61) and Houston Baptist (72-64). The Cardinals are led offensively by Anthony Holliday's 14.9 points per game, which ranks fourth in the Southland, and 3/4 assists. Tyran de Lattibeaudiere leads the team in rebounds (7.4) and blocks (31). de Lattibeaudiere's 2.4 block average ranks second in the league.
• SFA STATISTICALLY: The `Jacks are sixth in assists per game (17.1), 13 in both the scoring margin (14.0) and turnover margin (3.6), tied for 13th in win percentage (84.0), 19th in scoring offense (76.7), 23rd in steals per game (8.1) and 24th in field-goal percentage (47.8). The team's assists, turnover margin and rebounding defense (30.0) all lead the Southland.
• `JACKS IN THE SLC: Several `Jacks ranked among the elite in the conference. Jacob Parker is third in 3-point field goal percentage (.425), eighth in free throw percentage (.822), 11th in field goal percentage (.535), 13th in scoring (13.6) and 16th in rebounding (5.6). Thomas Walkup sits fifth in field goal percentage (.580), seventh in scoring (15.2), ninth in assist/turnover ratio (1.5), 12th in rebounding (6.0), and 13th in free throw percentage (.784) and assists (3.2). Trey Pinkney ranks second in assist/turnover ratio (2.5), eighth in asissts (4.1) and 10th in steals (1.4). Demetrious Floyd is 10th in 3-point field goal percentage (.389), while Jared Johnson is 13th (.382). Tanner Clayton ranks eighth in blocks (1.7). Ty Charles is 19th in rebounding (5.0).
• SFA's LAST TIME OUT: Five `Jacks finished in double figures against UIW as SFA started a new win streak. Walkup shot an efficient 10-of-13 from the floor with a 3-pointer and 7-of-7 from the line on the night for 28 points. Ty Charles tied his career-high with 19 points, while Jacob Parker finished with 13 points. both Tanner Clayton and Clide Geffrard finished with 11 points. The `Jacks enjoyed a balanced shooting performance. As a team, SFA was 58.5 percent (31-53) from the floor, 56.3 percent (9-16) from beyond the arc and 76 percent (19-25) from the charity stripe.
Specialty Stats:
Pts In Paint - SFA 36-34 Pts Off Turnovers - UIW 14-2 2nd Chance Pts - SFA 11-8
Fast Break Pts - SFA 8-2 Bench Pts - SFA 28-6
• FROM DOWNTOWN: Over 28.6% of SFA's made field goals this season have come from beyond the arc. The `Jacks have made 188-of-516 (.364) attempts from 3-point land, while shooting 658-of-1,378 (.478) from the floor. When facing the SFA, the opponent is 105-of-322 (.326) from deep.
• COMFORT IN HALFTIME LEAD: When leading at halftime, the `Jacks are 45-1 all-time under head coach Brad Underwood. SFA's lone loss when taking a lead into the lockerroom was at Texas on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013, just the third game of Underwood's tenure both with the `Jacks and as a head coach at the Div. I level. Since then, SFA has won 43 consecutive games under Underwood when on top after the first 20 minutes.
• TAKING NOTICE: SFA checks in at No. 6 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 for after sitting fourth for four straight weeks. The `Jacks are also ninth in SB Nation's Mid-Major Madness Power 15 Poll after previously sitting fourth. SFA is 47th in the Kenpom. The `Jacks are also receiving 12 votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• PARKER's ALL-TIME WINS: Senior forward Jacob Parker recorded the 98th win of his Lumberjack career in SFA's 95-59 victory over Houston Baptist to become the program's all-time winningest player at the Division I level. He has since added two more victory for 100 career victories.
• WINNINGEST TWO-YEAR PLAYERS: Senior Connor Brooks and Tanner Clayton picked up their 53rd win of their Lumberjack careers in SFA's 90-76 victory at Incarnate Word. The two are seven wins away from tying former teammates Nikola Gajic and Deshaunt Walker as the program's all-time winningest two-year players. Gajic and Walker are also the only two `Jacks to go undefeated inside William R. Johnson Coliseum across their careers, posting 30 wins (15 - 2012-13; 15 - 2013-14). Brooks and Clayton are 25-1 in the coliseum.
• 728 DAYS: When the `Jacks lost at TAMUCC, it marked the first loss for SFA in Southland Conference play in 728 days. The last conference loss before then came on Feb. 16, 2013. The loss ended the nation's nation's longest active conference win streak at 32 games. The loss also ended a 19-game overall win streak, which ranked third in the NCAA Division I.
• HOT START FOR UNDEROOD: Head coach Brad Underwood has racked up a 44-6 career record through his first 50 games as a head coach at the Division I level. A stat not kept by NCAA, his 44-6 mark through 50 games is tied for fifth all-time and tied with Steve Prohm for the best of any active coach according to research by assistant director of media relations Kyle Rogers (See complete chart on Pg. 6 for more).
• PERFECT FROM THE LINE: Senior Tanner Clayton enjoyed steady success at the free throw line through SFA's first seven games. The native of San Diego, California, was 6-for-6 from the charity stripe before his first miss. Freshman Jaxon Holden is currently 7-of-7, while the `Jacks are 414-of-582 (.711) on the year.
• #VOTESFA: Head coach Brad Underwood is participating in the Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge. Originally, one of 48 top college basketball coaches in the nation participating in the fan-vote challenge, Underwood has advanced to the second round as he tries to help win $100,000 for the Nacogdoches Area United Way. Fans can register and vote online daily at http://www.espn.com/infiniti.
• NEW STARTERS: SFA had a consistent starting five across the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. From the first game to the last of both campaigns, the `Jacks rolled with the same five during those spans. With new additions to this season's squad, Underwood will have different options for lineups, depending on the matchup, and in the second game of this season, he changed his lineup, ending a SFA's streak of 68 games without changing the starters midseason.
2011-12 Starters (final 2 gms) - Darius Gardner, Antonio Bostic, Desmond Haymon, Jonathan King and Jereal Scott
2012-13 Starters (32 gms) - Hal Bateman, Antonio Bostic, Desmond, Haymon, Jacob Parker and Taylor Smith
2013-14 Starters (35 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Desmond Haymon, Thomas Walkup, Nikola Gajic and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (1 gm) - Trey Pinkney, Dallas Cameron, Connor Brooks, Thomas Walkup and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (3 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Dallas Cameron, Thomas Walkup, Clide Geffrard and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (9 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Jared Johnson, Thomas Walkup, Jacob Parker and Tanner Clayton
2014-15 Starters (11 gms) - Trey Pinkney, Jared Johnson, Ty Charles, Thomas Walkup and Jacob Parker
2014-15 Starters (1 gm) - Trey Pinkney, Dallas Cameron, Ty Charles, Thomas Walkup and Jacob Parker
• TIED AT THE BREAK: When SFA entered halftime tied 27-27 at Memphis, it marked the first time under head coach Bead Underwood that the `Jacks were tied entering the lockerroom.
• KASPAR RETURNS: Wednesday, Dec. 17, marked the return of former head coach Danny Kaspar to William R. Johnson Coliseum. Kaspar resigned from SFA on April 4, 2013, to take head job at Texas State. In 13 seasons with the `Jacks, Kaspar amassed a 246-141 record. The third longest tenured coach of the men's basketball team, his 246 wins ranked second all-time at SFA. At SFA, Kaspar posted seven 20-win seasons, winning three Southland Conference regular season titles (2008,2009, 2013) and one SLC Tournament title (2009). Kaspar guided the `Jacks to three postseason appearances, making the National Invitation Tournament in 2008 and 2013 and the program's first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2009. He was named SLC Coach of the Year after winning the regular season in both the 2007-08 and 2012-13 seasons.
• BEATING THE HOUSE: SFA left Las Vegas undefeated, after posting a 2-0 record in the 2014 Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. The `Jacks downed Prairie View A&M 73-61 and Austin Peay 83-62 to win their respective bracket. Senior Jacob Parker was named to the all-tournament team, after averaging 17.5 points and 6.5 rebounds across two games inside Orleans Arena.
• SFA IN UNDERWOOD OPENERS: The `Jacks improved to 2-0 in season and home openers under head coach Brad Underwood in a 75-49 win over Mississippi College inside William R. Johnson Coliseum. SFA kicked off the Underwood era last season with a 90-64 win over Texas-Tyler, also coming at home.
• DOMINANT SENIOR CLASS MOVES ON: After last season, SFA saw the departure of one of the most dominant senior classes to ever come through Nacogdoches in Haymon (starter), Nikola Gajic (starter) and Deshaunt Walker (sixth-man). Haymon left SFA as the program's all-time winningest player at the Division I level with 97 victories, tied for the fourth winningest class overall in program history, while Gajic and Walker were the program's winningest players in a two-year span with 59 wins. Gajic and Walker also became the first two players in program history to close their careers undefeated at home, posting 30 wins inside William R. Johnson Coliseum.
• RETURNERS/NEWCOMERS: The `Jacks returns three of their starters from last season in senior forward Jacob Parker, junior forward Thomas Walkup and junior guard Trey Pinkney. The `Jacks also return Connor Brooks (Sr., G/F), Tanner Clayton (Sr., F), Dallas Cameron (So., G), Justin Dotson (So., SG) and Jason Martin (So., G). Underwood welcomes six newcomers from his early signing class in Ty Charles (Fr., G), Demetrious Floyd (Jr., G), Clide Geffrard (Jr., F), Jared Johnson (Jr., G), Jaxon Holden (Fr., G) and Caleb Johnston (Fr., G/F), along with Bobby King, a senior transfer from Florida A&M.
• WIN STREAKS ENTERING 2014-15: SFA will enter the 2014-15 season with several national win streaks still intact - consecutive home, true road and conference wins. Entering the season, the `Jacks were tied with Duke for the nation's longest active home win streak at 33 games. SFA has not dropped a game inside William R. Johnson Coliseum since a 51-47 loss to Texas-Arlington (2/15/12) during the 2011-12 season. The `Jacks also boast a 12-game true road win streak that is tied with No. 11 Wichita State for the nation's lead, while their 14 overall road wins led the country.
In conference play, SFA sits third nationally, behind Florida and Wichita St., with a 20-game win streak. The `Jacks finished a perfect 18-0 last season, becoming just the 18th team to go unbeaten in a league schedule of 18 games or more in NCAA history.
• EARLY VOTE OF CONFIDENCE: SFA received one vote in the AP Top 25 Poll entering the season. The `Jacks continued receiving one vote in week two. SFA was also ranked fifth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll in week two, moving up one spot from the opening week of the season (tabbed sixth).
• PRESEASON HYPE: CBSSports.com's Sam Vecenie concluded the website's 2014-15 college basketball conference preview with a "Best of the Rest" on Thursday, Oct. 23, and the `Jacks were tabbed sixth out of the 23 conferences not covered during the website's preseason series, while NBCSports.com College Basketball Talk's Rob Dauster had SFA ninth in his mid-major power ranking. USA Today had the `Jacks at No. 53 in its preseason countdown of the top teams.
• PICKED TO 3-PEAT: SFA, the two-time defending SLC regular-season and reigning tournament champion, was named the preseason favorite to repeat in a vote by the league's coaches and sports information directors, the conference office announced Wednesday, Oct. 29. The `Jacks received 11 first-place votes from the coaches for 143 total points while picking up 10 first-place nods from the SIDs and 144 total points.
• PARKER, WALKUP NAMED PRESEASON All-SLC: SFA's Parker and Walkup were named to the 2014-15 Preseason All-SLC teams, the league office announced on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Parker was tabbed to the first team for the `Jacks, while Walkup earned second team recognition.
LEFTOVERS FROM 2013-14
• NCAA TOP 10 BEST STARTS: Head coach Brad Underwood picked up his 28th win at the helm in a 83-72 victory over Oral Roberts (Mar. 6) to crack into the NCAA's top 10 best career starts. Underwood, then added four more wins in 2013-14, to move into sole possession of third in the NCAA's top 10 best career starts at the Division I level. Underwood passed Steve Prohm (Murray State - 31-2, 2012) and Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh - 31-5, 2004) with SFA's win over VCU. Only Bill Guthridge (North Carolina - 34-4, 1998) and Bill Hodges (Indiana State - 33-1, 1979) recorded more wins in their first season as a head coach.
• PERFECT IN CONFERENCE: With the win over Central Arkansas in the season finale, SFA closed out the season out its conference schedule undefeated for just the third time in program history. The `Jacks finished the season 18-0 in conference to become the third team to do so in 2013-14, joining then No. 1 Florida and then No. 2 Wichita State and just the 18th team to go unbeaten in a league schedule of 18 games or more in NCAA history. SFA also finished 18-0 (29-1 overall) in the Lone Star Conference in 1969-70 and 10-0 (22-8 overall) in the Gulf Star Conference in 1886-87.
• ROAD WARRIORS: With the win at Southeastern Louisiana, SFA closed its Southland Conference road slate undefeated at 9-0, the first time the `Jacks have done so in the Division I era. The last conference team that was truly recognized for going undefeated on the road was Arkansas State in 1966-67 when it was 8-0 SLC and 4-0 on road. In 1972-73, Louisiana-Lafayette finished 6-0 (12-0 SLC), but all wins were later forfeited due to NCAA sanctions. Louisiana Tech is listed as 8-0 in league play in 1971-72, but it technically was 6-2 in conference and 3-1 on the road. It was later awarded two league wins (one road win) when ULL forfeited all eight-league games that season.
QUICK HITS
• The `Jacks opened 2014-15 1-3, dropping three straight, SFA's worst start since 1998-99 season (started 0-4).
• SFA's three-game losing streak earlier this season was its first since 2011-12 season, when the `Jacks dropped three consecutive in non-conference play (Prairie View A&M, 53-50; NC Central, 65-57; Oregon, 55-45).
• SFA, 2-3 through its first five games this season, also started 2-3 in 2013-14, eventually finishing 32-3.
• SFA's 19-game overall win streak end in a 71-63 loss at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday, Feb. 14.
• SFA's 32-game conference win streak end in a 71-63 loss at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday, Feb. 14.
• Underwood is tied for the first fastest head coach to reach 50 wins, posting a 50-6 record through 56 games in his head coaching career (See Fastest To 50 Wins on Pg. 6 for more).
• At the Div. I level, Jacob Parker is first all-time with 100 career wins and 100 starts (121 career games).
• SFA is undefeated in the months of December and January under head coach Brad Underwood.
• With 12 points at Abilene Christian, Parker became SFA's latest member of the 1,000-point club.
• Thomas Walkup and Parker both recorded double-doubles in SFA's 81-66 win over Southeastern Louisiana. The double-double was Parker's first, Walkup's second and team's third of the season. Parker added his second, team's fourth, of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds at Lamar.
• Walkup recorded his fifth double-double of his career in SFA's season-opening 75-49 win over Mississippi College.
• SFA had a 12-game true road win streak end in a 81-63 loss at Xavier on Friday, Nov. 21.
• SFA had a 34-game home win streak ended in a 79-77 overtime loss to Northern Iowa on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
• In 2013-14, SFA closed the regular season 15-0 inside William R. Johnson Coliseum for a second straight year.
• In 2013-14, SFA led the country with 14 true road wins, posting a 14-2 (.875) mark.
• SFA is coming off a record-setting 32-3 campaign in 2013-14. The `Jacks won the Southland Conference's regular season and tournament titles, and picked up the program's first-ever win the NCAA Tournament, upsetting fifth-seeded VCU 77-75 in overtime.
• The 2013-14 Southland Conference regular season title marks the second time the `Jacks have won back-to-back titles. SFA won the SLC in 2007-08 and 2008-09. The year after won their first consecutive titles, the `Jacks were eliminated in the championship game of the league's tournament.
• The `Jacks are 2-5 all-time in postseason tournaments. SFA is 1-2 in the NCAA Tournament and 1-3 in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
• Brad Underwood became the 11th head coach in SFA history on April 23, 2013.
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