SAVANNAH, Ga. ? The University of New Orleans men's basketball team will continue a three-game road trip with an 11 a.m. CT tipoff at Savannah State on Saturday.
The game, which can be heard on WGSO 990 AM or online at WGSO.com, was originally scheduled for 12 p.m. but was moved up an hour to accommodate UNO travel plans.
The Privateers (0-2) will be trying to avoid their first 0-3 start in 10 years, and they will be facing a familiar opponent.
UNO defeated SSU (3-0) 71-56 in New Orleans last season. In that game, T.J. Worley had 14 points and a career-high 10 rebounds, as the Privateers overcame 23 turnovers.
The turnovers were a big factor in UNO's last game ? a 79-62 defeat at Nicholls State on Wednesday. The Privateers committed 21 miscues ? 15 in the first half ? as the Colonels defeated UNO for the second straight season.
Worley and Darrian McKinstry were the Privateer bright spots, combining for 48 points. McKinstry, who leads the Sun Belt in scoring (22.5 points per game) had 28 points including 22 in the second half.
The Fullerton Junior College transfer was 8-of-14 from the field (3-of-4 from 3-point range) and was a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line.
Worley is averaging 19.5 points per game after scoring 20 against the Colonels. The rest of the UNO lineup is combining to average 18.5 points per game.
“No question, we need to have some other guys step up,” said UNO head coach Joe Pasternack. “But this team is not going to get discouraged. What I want us to focus on is defending and rebounding for 40 minutes, and the rest will take care of itself.”
UNO has been without leading returning scorer Kyndall Dykes for the first two games of the season. The senior, who sprained his ankle in a scrimmage with LSU on Nov. 9, did travel with the team and his playing status will be a game-time decision.
SSU, meanwhile, has won three home games to start the 2008-09 season. The Tigers defeated Coastal Carolina 66-65 on Tuesday thanks to a Chris Linton free throw with four seconds to play.
Freshman forward Rashad Hassan leads SSU with 16 points per game, and Tracy Rankins is putting up 12.7 points per contest. Linton is averaging 9.3 points and a team-best seven rebounds per game.
