NEW ORLEANS — With two games left in the regular season, the University of New Orleans Privateers find themselves squarely in position to earn a coveted first-round bye in the upcoming Air Force Reserve Southland Conference Basketball Championships, presented by the Louisiana Office of Tourism.
At 14–15 overall and 12–8 in Southland play, the Privateers enter the final week holding the No. 3 seed in the league standings. New Orleans will have the opportunity to solidify that position — and potentially lock up a bye — when it hosts the McNeese Cowboys on Senior Night this Saturday at Lakefront Arena. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
The evening will feature pregame Senior Night ceremonies honoring Coleton Benson, Jakevion Buckley, Grant Kemp, Hercy Miller, and student manager Ryan Sheets, a group that has played a central role in New Orleans’ late-season surge.
The Privateers’ positioning in the standings is strengthened by Monday night’s statement win at Stephen F. Austin. That victory gave New Orleans the head-to-head tiebreaker over UTRGV, as UNO finished 1–1 against the Lumberjacks while UTRGV dropped both meetings with the conference leaders. With only two games remaining, the Privateers control their own path toward finishing among the top four.
New Orleans will close the regular season Monday night with a 7 p.m. home matchup against the Southeastern Lions. Both home finales will feature halftime entertainment, with Choppa performing Saturday and H3adband Shawty set for Monday night. Admission for both games is free for high school students with a valid ID and parents accompanying them.
Chasing the Record Books
Several individual and team milestones are within reach as the season winds down. Benson sits 10 three-pointers shy of Jordan Johnson’s single-season school record of 93, set during the 2021–22 campaign. Benson’s perimeter shooting has been a driving force behind the Privateers’ offensive identity throughout conference play.
Buckley continues to etch his name into the program’s assist ledger. His 11 assists in Monday’s win pushed his season total to 153, the seventh-most in a single season in school history. He now trails the program record of 178, set by Jimmie Smith in 1994–95.
As a team, New Orleans has converted 560 free throws this season, putting the Privateers just 20 makes shy of the program record established during the 1987–88 season. The team’s nine road wins already tie the 1992–93 and 2007–08 squads for the most in school history, underscoring the consistency this group has shown away from Lakefront Arena.
Scouting McNeese
McNeese arrives in New Orleans at 24–5 overall and 17–3 in league play, sitting one game behind Stephen F. Austin for the top spot in the conference standings. The Cowboys enter the weekend as the projected No. 2 seed in the Southland Tournament and have won seven straight meetings against the Privateers dating back to 2023, including three consecutive victories in New Orleans. Despite that recent trend, UNO still holds a 20–16 advantage in the all-time series.
The Cowboys boast a NET ranking of 59 and a KenPom ranking of 66, while appearing in all five mid-major polls. McNeese ranks first in the Southland in 11 major statistical categories and second in seven others, with 18 of its victories coming by double figures.
Freshman standout Larry Johnson leads the Cowboys in scoring at 16.9 points per game and in rebounding at 5.2. A mid-major freshman of the year candidate, Johnson has scored in double figures 25 times this season and recorded a pair of double-doubles.
Scouting Southeastern
Southeastern enters the final week on a four-game losing streak and has dropped seven of its last 10 contests. The Lions’ most recent victory came Feb. 9 against UIW in Hammond. New Orleans earned a 79–76 win over Southeastern earlier this season, after the Lions swept the Privateers a year ago.
Jeremy Elyzee leads Southeastern at 10.8 points per game, with Isaiah Gaines close behind at 10.7. Gaines also paces the Lions on the glass at 6.4 rebounds per game and has a team-high 33 blocks. CJ Booker and Makhi Myles provide perimeter shooting, each connecting at better than 35 percent from three-point range.
Coverage Information
Both games will stream live on ESPN+ and air locally on The Ticket 106.7 FM and theticket1067.com. Live updates will also be available throughout the games on @PrivateersHoops on X.
With postseason positioning at stake and milestones looming, the Privateers enter the final week knowing the margin is thin — and the opportunity significant.
