Warhawk Basketball begins at LSU

MONROE, La. - The ULM men’s basketball team begins its 59th season of basketball on Friday night (Nov. 13) at LSU in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m., and can be heard live on KJMG, 97.3 FM in Monroe, Greg Gulyas will have the play-by-play.

The Warhawks enter the 2009-10 season welcoming back five starters and seven letterwinners from last year’s club, including senior guard Tony Hooper who was granted a fifth-year of eligibility after appearing in just four contests last season. Hooper and senior forward Malcolm Thomas were named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team and ULM has been picked to finish fifth in the West Division of the Sun Belt.

Orlando Early begin his fifth season as the head coach at ULM, the 2006-07 Sun Belt Coach of the Year, Early enters this season with a career record of 48-73.

In its only exhibition contest prior to the start of the regular season, ULM picked up an 82-39 victory over Texas-Tyler. Senior guard Dynile Forbes led the way for the Warhawks in the contest with 17 points. Junior forward Lawrence Gilbert chipped in 15 and junior forward Rudy Turner also reached double-figures with 14 points.

Last season, LSU went 27-8, including a 13-3 mark in SEC play, earning the SEC regular season crown in Trent Johnson’s first season in Baton Rouge. The Tigers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they fell to eventual national champion North Carolina, 84-70. At this year’s SEC media days, the Tigers were picked to finish fourth in the SEC West.

Friday’s matchup will be the fifth all-time meeting between ULM and LSU, all five meeting have occurred in Baton Rouge and the Warhawks are searching for their first victory in the series

Following Friday’s clash with the Tigers, ULM will return home to host Alcorn State at Fant-Ewing Coliseum on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 15) at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by contacting the ULM Ticket Office at 318-342-3ULM