Men's Hoops Opens Season at GAC/NSIC Challenge

DURANT, Okla. – Southeastern men's basketball will open its highly anticipated 2019-20 season at the GAC/NSIC Challenge, starting play with a Central Regional rematch against Northern State at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 8 followed by a 3:30 p.m. matchup on Nov. 9 against Minnesota-Duluth. Both games will be played at the Sawyer Center in Bethany, Okla.
 
The Savage Storm are coming off a 23-8 season a year ago that ended in the second round of the NCAA Central Region tournament and will open this season with high expectations as they are favored to win the Great American Conference.
 
SE got its first live action on Oct. 29 in an exhibition contest against Oklahoma, dropping that matchup 89-76.
 
However, in that contest Kevin Buckingham was the game's leading scorer with 25 points on the night, leading four double-digit scorers.
 
He was joined by A'Torey Everett who is returning to the court after missing last season due to injury and put up 17 points against DI competition.
 
Kellen Manek added 12 points as did Kayo Goncalves.
 
Goncalves just missed a double-double with nine rebounds, while Adam Dworsky dished out six assists.
 
Buckingham picked up where he left off a year ago after winning GAC Player of the Year and earning All-American honors following a season in which he averaged 21.6 ppg and 9.5 rpg.
 
In all, the Storm return four starters from a season ago, with Manek and Dworsky also taking home all-conference honors postseason.
 
In the opener on Nov. 8 the Storm will face Northern State who it upset in the first round of the Central Regional a season ago.
 
As a seven seed SE rallied from a 13-point deficit with 2:12 to play to tie the game on a Buckingham three before outscoring the Wolves 26-14 in overtime for the 115-103 victory.
 
Buckingham and Dworsky each had career-highs in that game with 43 and 32 points, respectively.
 
NSU finished last season 26-7 and is picked fourth in the Northern Sun coming into the season, while Minnesota-Duluth is picked third overall in the league and first in the conference's north division after a 17-10 season a year ago.