Preview: Southeastern Louisiana Lions at LSU Tigers BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — The LSU men’s basketball team, riding high with one of its best starts in recent years, hosts in-state foe Southeastern Louisiana on Friday night at the Maravich Assembly Center. The Tigers (9-1) have won nine of their first 10 games, with their lone blemish an 82-58 road loss at Texas Tech on Dec. 7. They bounced back with an 89-77 home victory over SMU last Saturday, fueled by a balanced attack. Point guard Dedan Thomas has been the catalyst, averaging 16.3 points and 8.0 assists per game. He posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists against SMU. “We’re building something here, but we have to stay focused on the task at hand,“ LSU coach Matt McMahon said. “Southeastern is a capable team that will challenge us.“ The visiting Lions (4-7) are looking to snap a two-game skid after a heartbreaking 70-69 home loss to Texas A&M-Commerce on Monday. They have struggled on the road this season, going 2-5 away from Hammond. Southeastern Louisiana will lean on guard Jeremy Elyzee, who is averaging 16.2 points over his last five games. He scored 15 points and blocked three shots in the narrow loss Monday. Forward Isaiah Gaines, who had 17 points in that game, provides an interior presence. “We have to be tougher and more disciplined for 40 minutes,“ Lions coach David Kiefer said. “Playing in an environment like LSU’s is a great test for our group.“ LSU holds a distinct advantage in size and depth. Beyond Thomas, forwards Max Mackinnon and Marquel Sutton are coming off 22- and 23-point performances, respectively, against SMU. The Tigers are averaging 87.1 points per game. Southeastern Louisiana, averaging 67.5 points, will need to control the tempo and limit turnovers to keep pace. The Lions have lost all four meetings against Power Five opponents this season by an average of 18.5 points. This is the final non-conference tune-up for LSU before it opens Southeastern Conference play at Texas A&M on Jan. 3. Southeastern Louisiana begins Southland Conference play at Incarnate Word on Dec. 30. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST.