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Wednesday, February 22, 2017

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Lumberjacks 2-2 in tournamentSFA program ranked in top 10 by website

By Brielle ThomasStaff Writer

SFA has been named one of the top 10 best value colleges in the nation for its online master’s degree in early childhood education by College Value Online.

“The ranking validates what we strive for in the program,” Dr. Adam Akerson, assistant professor of elementary education, said.

According to Dr. Susan Casey, program coordinator for SFA’s online master’s degree in early childhood education, several years ago, she and faculty members embarked on a journey to rewrite the Early Childhood Master’s program from the ground up. They looked at the standards and created components that led to the end product.

“We are extremely proud of the work we accomplished and are grateful for the recognition from outside sources,” Casey said.

According to Casey, the affordability of the program, completion rate of the students, comprehensive nature of the program and employability of the students were all considered in the ranking of the online degree.

“In today’s world of diverse experiences, there are various challenges in the workplace, and knowledge is the key to unlocking the potential of all of our graduate students,” Casey said.

“This degree will open the door for them as they enter the work environment in hospitals, early childhood state intervention programs, childcare centers, day care licensing, lead teacher roles and many other fields. Our world will always have children to educate, and the master’s degree opens endless possibilities.”

According to College Value Online, the online Master of Education in Early Childhood degree includes 36 credit hours—12 courses at three credit hours each—and takes 22 months or less to complete.

DEGREE, PAGE 2

SFA answers financial aid questionsStudents represent Nacogdoches business

By Emily BrownCopy Editor

With the popularity increase of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the world around us has shifted tremendously. Today, more and more companies turn to social media to advertise their products. Even in Nacogdoches, businesses often use local people to help spread the word. Sometimes, these people are even students.

Jaelyn Huffman, an animal science major, uses her Instagram differently from her peers. Instead of simply posting a picture of a cute new outfit, she is encouraged to share more and more of the clothes she wears.

Huffman is a representative for M&S Gift Shop. With just a few posts a week, Huffman helps M&S gain more customers.

“I think it’s important for M&S to have representatives so we can get the word out about how awesome their merchandise is and reach different people that they wouldn’t have reached,” Huffman said. “It’s changed my perspective on how social media is used because it really does reach lots and lots of possible customers and shows them how the clothing can be worn.”

Huffman is not the only representative M&S works with. Paige Grissom, a senior nursing major, also helps M&S out each week.

“As a representative, we are asked to post twice a week in something from M&S, and

that’s pretty much it. We also have little discount cards we can hand out to our friends,” Grissom said.

Both Huffman and Grissom have backgrounds unrelated to marketing or fashion, yet they have a love for M&S fashion that makes their position exciting for them.

Grissom said that the best part about this position is getting to help out her favorite Nacogdoches boutique.

“Over half of my closest is from M&S, so it only makes sense to help promote them,” Grissom said. “Every month we get a few new clothing items to add to our closest. Then every time I go into the store I get 20 percent off, which only makes me want to go shop even more.”

While this job differs from others in many ways, it is still a position that requires time management and creativity.

“It sometimes is a challenge to remember to post twice a week with the busy-ness of nursing school,” Grissom said, “but I’ve had so much fun coming up with cute ways to show off my clothes so it’s never been a problem. I’ve learned how to manage my time even better, and I’ve learned to set aside specific times a few times a week to come up with ideas for posts.”

For Huffman, this gives her the opportunity to step into the world of marketing. “It will help me in the future because my career will have a lot to do with reaching many people in a quick manner, and I will have had experience with marketing

M&S, PAGE 2

Photos by Joshua Reid/ The Pine Log

SFA’s Financial Aid office part ic ipated in Showcase Saturday last weekend to give prospective students a chance to ask questions about financial aid and financial literacy. The event coincided with Financial Aid Awareness Month. “General knowledge of areas such as budgeting, loan debt, credit card management and interest rates are skills that all individuals should possess,” H. Rachele’ Garrett, director of financial aid, said. “Students should begin now with creating a budget and putting savings away, so they will have money in the future for things such as a home, investments and retirement.” Students who registered were entered into a raffle for two $500 scholarships.”Students need to be their own advocate on this topic...” Garrett said.

Photo by Bastian York/ The Pine Log

Austin Hagy pitches against Southeast Missouri in SFA baseball’s home opener tournament this weekend at Jaycees Field. The Lumberjacks started off the weekend strong Friday with a win against the Southeast Missouri Redhawks, 3-2. SFA followed it up with a with a 2-1 win Saturday over UT-Arlington after fighting through an extra inning. The Lumberjacks lost both of their games in a double header Sunday against Southeast Missouri, 3-1, and UT Arlington, 7-4. SFA will play UT-San Antonio Friday at 6 p.m. at Roadrunner Field.

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The Pine Log 2017

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From Page 1

products.”M&S Pharmacy first opened in November 1978, and over time developed a boutique

within the store. Located on 917 East Austin St., it operates as both a pharmacy and a boutique and has brought in a wide variety of customers to the shop. Both older and younger generations visit the store for one item and tend to stay for the other.

Grissom and Huffman’s Instagram pages post weekly outfit ideas and updates on the store’s latest items.

From Page 1

The university designed the program for early childhood education and child development educators seeking advancement in roles as directors of childcare facilities, adjunct faculty at colleges and universities, master classroom teachers, school district specialists, educational consultants, researchers and professional development providers.

“Due to the nature of graduate school, it is an expectation that students spend one to two hours each day on completion of activities in order to be successful,” Casey said. “Because our students complete a course in eight weeks or less, the amount of time increases to two to three hours per day, or 14 to 21 hours per week. Most of the students only take one course per term and we have six terms in a school year.”

According to College Value Online, some of the courses included in the program are: Child Development Birth-Eight; Foundations of Early Childhood; Language and Literacy in ECH; ECH Play/Learning Environments; Assessment in Early Childhood and Leaders and Advocates in ECH.

“I teach two research courses, ECH 510, Introduction to ECH Research, and ECH 511, Advanced Research in ECH, which are the last two courses in the program,” Akerson said. “The students complete an action research project where they think of a topic, think of some way to address the problem and then use their projects to propose ways of changing or fixing the problem.”

Students must sign in to D2L regularly and daily because that’s how the professors primarily communicate with students, according to Akerson. They also use a video chat program Collaborate and email to get in contact with students in order to help them as much as possible.

“This program is intended to allow students to participate no matter where they live,” Casey said. “There is active learning involved as well as interactions with children. While this is an early childhood education major – only about 48 percent of our students are certified teachers. We have day care workers and directors, early childhood interventionist and program supervisors, day care licensing agents, child care investigators and many other careers all participating in earning this degree.”

By Shannon PoeStaff Writer

The Office of Multicultural Affairs will be hosting a panel discussing women’s perspectives on current issues in honor of Women’s History Month at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the multimedia room, located in the BPSC.

The panel will include Dr. Griselda Flores, assistant director of multicultural affairs, Dr. Dana Cooper, associate professor in the SFA history department, DawnElla Rust, professor in the kinesiology & health science department, Brigette Kozash, SFA student majoring in history and Latin American studies, and Habiba Awan, Nacogdoches community member.

“We usually [come up with events] based on the months, so since March is Women’s History Month, we started the events at the end of February,” Flores said. “All of the events for Women’s History Month are free and open to everyone, there is no exclusion based on gender.”

Along with specific questions asked by Alicia A. Millard, secretary of OMA, the audience will be able to participate.

“Our panelists will be talking and answering questions regarding various subjects and giving a women’s point-of-view. The subjects include, health,

politics, religion, body issues, career issues, workplace issues, education, etc.,” Millard said.

OMA is known for celebrating diversity on campus as well throughout the community.

“We have an overarching goal to provide a comfortable environment for all students, staff and faculty by providing tools and resources that maximize their Lumberjack experience,” according to the OMA website. “We believe that as an office, we play a significant role in creating a campus climate in which the benefits of diversity and social justice can be realized.”

The panel is a resource for all people of the SFA community to gain knowledge of different perspectives of women in society.

“I think you can always gain something just seeing the different perspectives and experiences that different women go through,” Flores said. “Even though we are all women, we all have a story to share, and it’s important that our stories are heard. Even though women have made so much progress, we’re still not quite there. Even how society views us, the way that the messages you receive from social media against women, we still have a lot more to go.”

M&S: Students promoteNacogdoches business

OMA hosts panel for Women’s History Month

Degree: program ranks top 10

Showcase Saturday Courtesy photo

SFA’s Showcase Saturday was held last w e e k e n d t o allow prospective s t u d e n t s a chance to tour the campus, talk to faculty and current students about majors, view dorms and find out what SFA has to offer for them. The next Showcase Saturday will be March 25.

CMYK

Page 3Wednesday, February 22, 2017

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The women in this photograph were incorrectly identified in the Feb. 15 issue of The Pine Log. Pictured, from left, are past Miss Black and Gold pageant winners Jocelyn Stephens, Mary Thi Bui and Jasmine Stoker. The Pine Log regrets the error.

By Andrea NelsonStaff Writer

Stephen F. Austin’s School of Theatre recently hosted a question-and-answer session with Ron Raines, a professional actor who has spent around 40 years in New York building his career, with Broadway credits including “Newsies,” “Oklahoma!” and “Man of La Mancha.” Students and professors got an opportunity to meet with Raines and talk about the business of theatre.

The event was facilitated through a connection with the school of music. After a benefit concert in Longview for SFA’s School of Music, Raines chose to stay in Nacogdoches and plan a meeting with the students of the School of Theatre while he was in town.

“I love coming home,” Raines said. “I love seeing where I was raised.”Raines is a graduate of Nacogdoches High School and attended both Oklahoma

University and Julliard before beginning his career in Opera, eventually making his way into theatre and being nominated for a Tony in Best Lead in a Musical.

“They were excited to get to talk to such a distinguished artist,” Rick Jones, school of theatre interim director, said of the students who attended, “and they asked a lot of salient questions about how to negotiate the business.”

“It’s all about education,” Raines said about guest speakers on campus. “On the one hand,” Jones said, “guest speakers provide a different perspective. They

are performers or designers or administrators; we’re educators.”Though the talk itself yielded a small audience, Jones felt those who attended were

excited and asked questions that facilitated a good conversation about theater as a business.

“I think they are extremely valuable no matter what your focus is,” Maggie Strain, theatre education student who attended the talk, said. “They are invaluable to building connections and getting real, feasible advice and knowing more about the theater most of the general public knows versus what we see on a day to day basis.”

Raines echoed the belief that guest speakers on campuses are invaluable, urging students to take advantage of opportunities like these when they’re presented.

“Most of all,” Jones said, “I think it’s important to re-enforce the idea that you can get there from here, whether ‘here’ is Nacogdoches or SFA.”

SFA School of Theatre hosts Q & A session with Broadway Star Ron Raines

By Devin HogueEntertainment Editor

The SFA School of Theatre presented “Picnic on the Battlefield” on Friday and Saturday in the Downstage Theatre.

SFA student Avery Tindol directed the student production of Fernando Arrabal’s “Picnic on the Battlefield,” a play about a solider named Zapo who was sent to the battle ground during war.

While waiting on the war to start, Zapo is greeted by his parents, who visit him during the war. Not caring that there is an actual war that could start at any moment, his parents decide to have a picnic out in the open.

The picnic was interrupted by an enemy named Zepo, who accidently stumbled into the battle grounds while trying to find the war.

The rest of the short play was Zapo and his parents, the Tepans, and Zepo, the enemy, trying to find something to do while waiting on the war.

Taylor Solice, who played Zapo, was very believable as an inexperienced soldier that doesn’t really want to fight in the war. The comedic timing, especially in the awkward scene in the beginning was extremely funny.

Olivia Santone, who portrayed the mother Madame Tepan, and Logan Richard, who played the father, Monsieur Tepan were realistic. Richard’s character was a father who did not want his child

to do everything that he previously did. Santone’s character, the embarrassing mother, was spot on.

The audience could probably feel the shame coming from Zapo and experienced it themselves.

Zepo, played by Travis Brasher, topped off the comedy. How his character was foiled by Solice’s character was funny and, his portrayal of a helpless, uneducated solider was humorous.

Tyler Canada and ToColla Holley were the stretcher bearers. One of the best parts of the play was when they were trying to convince one of the other characters that they were hurt.

The set was simple and nice. Since there is not a lot of room in the Downstage Theatre, they made good use of the space. The wardrobe was also believable since I believe there isn’t a big budget for downstage plays.

The only issue was the dialect/accents. I would think that the characters would talk like they were actually in the ‘50s. Their dialect, mannerisms and speech should have been different, but it seemed like the play was set in the 2010s from their portrayal.

Overall, “Picnic on the Battlefield” was enjoyable. The time flew by because there were no dull moments.

For more information about the SFA School of Theatre, visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu.

‘ ‘Picnic on the Battlefield’ brings laughterReview:

Photos Courtesy of Lane Davidson

Logan Richard and Olivia Santone dance together, portraying a married couple in SFA School of Theatre’s student production of “Picnic on the Battlefield” in the Downstage Theatre.

CMYK

Page 4 The Pine Log 2017

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Wednesday, February 22, 2017

OPINIONS EDITORJUWAN LEE

SPORTS EDITORDEVIN BROOKS

ADVERTISING MANAGERTYLER FISHER

WEBMASTER/SOCIAL MEDIACYNTHIA COGAN

MANAGING EDITOR PARASTOO NIKRAVESH

PHOTO EDITORHANNAH RUSSELL

ENTERTAINMENT EDITORDEVIN HOGUE

COPY EDITOREMILY BROWN

VIDEO EDITORAUDRA BRIDGES

CIRCULATION MANAGEREMMA GREGERSON

Spring 2017 Editorial BoardOpinions

Policy

✓ Write a letter to Grinding the Ax. Follow the guidelines on the left. Sign your name, and your letter will likely appear on this very page.

✓ You can also use our website to submit a letter to Grinding the Ax. It’ll save you a trip to the Baker Pattillo Student Center.

✓ Post feedback to our stories online. Hit the “Comments” button at the end of a story and let us have it. We can take it.

We’re lookingfor your

FEEDBACKOpinions expressed in columns on this page of The Pine Log are those of the individual writer. Unsigned editorials, as well as editorial cartoons, are the opinion of The Pine Log editors and do not necessarily reflect those of the university, its administrative officers or its Board of Regents.

Letters should be typed and should include the student’s hometown, classification, campus identification number and phone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit letters for space, spelling, grammar and potentially libelous material.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFJOANNA ARMSTRONG

Opinions@thepinelog

The year 2017 has brought with it an ever-changing world of technology. Everywhere we go, our lives are filled with the latest trend, the newest app, instantaneous news and an ability to connect with numerous people across a broader media than ever before.

Our smartphone-obsessed culture continues to invent new ways to become more connected via the internet, yet an argument could be made that the additional advantages we have to communicate with others worldwide is creating an umbrella shielding us from everyday life.

In a multitude of ways, it is becoming evident that the increasing accessibility to technology is intruding on relationships with both young and old.

The increased exposure to social media has allowed many to portray fantasy lives they are able to alter and send out for the masses to see on social media.

There is a sense of enjoyment that is created when you let others see the things you do on the weekends. But ask yourself, why is this?

Why do you let others, outside

those who you are hanging out with, know you are having a good time or who you are spending your Saturday night with?

Too often at events or parties, guests are attached to their smartphones, tweeting or texting what they are currently doing instead of engaging with the people around them. As long as people give the impression that they are having fun, the night is considered a fun experience.

According to the Association for Psychological Science, receiving likes from a post on social media has an impact on people’s brains and behavior.

We gain happiness from seeing the things we post receive a large number of likes. It is as if an eventful night is not made official until someone posts it to their page.

As you make your way to class this week, take a moment to look around campus and notice how many students walk with their eyes glued to a device.

These days we’re more likely to observe someone sharing their excitement about posting something

to Facebook than being excited about telling their friends in person.

Many people seem content with establishing their life through the screen of a device. Often, you receive satisfaction through adding a friend online, but when you see each other in person, it is as if you are total strangers. What improves connectivity through social platforms ends up increasing social awkwardness.

It is making it difficult for some to differentiate between the meaningful relationships we develop in the real world and the numerous casual relationships formed through social media.

Is social media and technology all bad? Of course it is not, but it has become highly addictive and can be detrimental when establishing who we are as people.

The immediacy of technology weakens our ability to foster long-lasting relationships. Instead of discussing problems we face in everyday relationships, we apply the same method we use on our social media pages. We just remove them and add someone else.

Illustration by Olivia Boan/ The Pine Log

Overwhelmed. This feeling seems to be one of the quintessential side effects of being a college student, but there’s a difference between simply being overwhelmed and managing school with an anxiety disorder. You’re a perfectionist, and you’ve tied your self-worth to work.

Maybe the thought of missing a singular reading assignment sends you spiraling down the rabbit hole into a logical fallacy that takes you from missing this assignment to failing your class, to failing all your classes, to dropping out of school, to living on the streets and signing for pennies.

Or maybe your anxieties have more to do with your personal life, but you find yourself so engulfed by patterned thinking, by the paralysis that comes with needing to do something but not knowing what. Maybe it’s both.

If any of this sounds familiar, hit me up; we should chat.

Anxiety is kind of my thing. I saw my first psychologist when I was somewhere around 8 or 9, and let me tell you, you go through a lot of therapists in a decade and a half, and they all have a lot of different things to say.

What I want to focus on is something I’ve learned both in and outside of therapy: at-home coping mechanisms for anxiety.

These aren’t things that are going to pull you out of a major panic attack, and they certainly won’t replace a therapist or psychopharmacology, but if you’re looking for ways to ward off more minor anxiety right at the start, I’m definitely your girl. So here are a few things I’ve found keep me grounded:

First, if there’s one thing my current therapist and I can agree on,

it’s yoga. The best thing about yoga is it’s a versatile practice.

I’m not going to tell you simply exercising is going to immensely improve your life. But yoga is about the body and the breath. You know, that thing you lose when you’re hyperventilating?

When I catch anxiety attacks early enough, sitting down somewhere soft and giving my body and breath some focus (with an emphasis on breathing exercises) helps my mind find an anchor point and keeps the anxiety from actually manifesting.

Second, I am a coloring book hoarder. Those meditation books they sell in Walmart are not lying to you about how relaxing they are. I know that might be hard to believe, and a cynic would probably say, “Pfft, you can’t color your anxiety away, foolish child,” and they’re right, you can’t!

Not permanently. But we’re talking short term, and on the short term, coloring books are magical.

Lastly, little things go a long way. A lot of the times, I still have issues keeping my anxiety at bay, and I can’t always keep myself from dissociating or ultimately freaking out. One thing I do find that can be effective, though, is observation.

When I’m having issues keeping my thoughts straight, or connecting myself to what’s going on around me, I play the Name Game, which is simply identifying objects in my line of sight.

Like I said, this is all short term, and if you’re really struggling with anxiety it’s crucial to seek medical support. But if you’re looking for ways to manage those smaller stressors and just keep your stability close to home, simple solutions can take you to a lot of good places.

COLUMN

By AndreaNELSON

“Maybe the thought of

missing a singular reading assignment

sends you spiraling down the rabbit hole into a logical fallacy”

Discovering therapeutic methods to cope with college anxiety

Social media can negatively impact one’s social life

Page 5

COLUMN

By BrookeMOSLEY

Most of us have dealt with our fair share of heartbreak, and those who haven’t know someone who has. Whether it’s the end of a short- or long-term relationship or simply an unrequited love, it’s hard to let go of someone you truly care about.

Because of this, your friends and family may be tempted to tell you “get over it” when confiding in them. You might even tell yourself the same thing just to speed past the pain you’re feeling. However, it’s not that simple.

I personally think that people should try to get through the pain rather than get over it.

What’s the difference? The problem with just getting over a breakup is that nothing is really solved emotiona l ly. Instead, feelings are quickly brushed to the side in an attempt to make others think you’re strong, especially your ex. For a while, you might actually think you’re over the person ... until a Facebook memory you shared with him or her pops up.

Or one day, you see that they’ve moved on. In that instant, all those feelings you pushed to the side come rising to the surface, and you end up more broken than you originally were.

All of that is to say that you can’t say, “Get over it,” like it’s “abracadabra” and make all of your pain disappear. Healing doesn’t quite work that way.

Getting through to the hurt requires time and patience. It’s not

something that happens overnight.

It may be tempting to numb your feelings and tell yourself that you don’t care. But numbing the pain is only a temporary fix.

During this time, you have to acknowledge your feelings and let yourself feel them.

This means that you might cry. A lot. However, crying it all out at the beginning saves you from breaking down later in life.

It’s so easy to lose yourself during and after a relationship because you’re so focused on that other person. However, working through your pain can also give you time to refocus on yourself.

I’m not saying that everyone should dwell over their exes for the next five years.

But I will say that healing is a process, and everyone heals at their own pace. It’s so easy for people to say “Get over it.” But to be honest, it’s so much harder to do.

“The problem with just getting over a breakup is that nothing is really solved emotionally.

Instead, feelings are quickly

brushed to the side in an attempt to make others

think you’re strong, especially

your ex.“

Rushing from heartbreak exposes suppressed feelings

The Pine Log Opinions Page regularly features the Axe ’Em Advice Column. The staff answers questions about everything from relationships to general life issues and everything in between. To submit your question,

email sfasupinelog@gmail.com.

CMYK

By Laython WashingtonContributing Writer

When C.J. Williams joined the Lumberjack basketball team, transferring from Hill College, he was an imposing figure, to say the least. Hailing from Powder Springs, Georgia, weighing in at 270 pounds and standing 6 feet 7 inches tall, he was a force to be reckoned with on the court. But Williams provided more than just size.

He could move well and rebound the ball. He could even throw dimes to teammates at times. However, a shocking diagnosis of a heart issue last summer has left him cheering on his teammates from the sidelines this season rather than posting up opponents on the hardwood.

But despite a series of life-changing setbacks, Williams said he is happy to still be actively involved with the Lumberjack basketball team. And he looks forward to what the future holds for him and his favorite sport.

Williams credits his father for his decision to attend SFA and play for the Jacks.

“Pretty much my dad ... he kind of forced me to[attend],” Williams said.

Leading up to last season, the success of the Lumberjack basketball team was at an all-time high. The team had appeared in the NCAA tournament the previous two seasons, won the first tournament game in school history, earned three-straight Southland Conference championships and boasted the last two Southland conference Players of the Year.

Williams was learning how to fit his game into former head coach Brad Underwood’s system. As the season progressed, so did his game. He showed off his unique passing ability for his size, along with an ability to create plays on offense, crash the boards and snatch rebounds.

All of that helped the team win against No. 3

seed West Virginia in the NCAA tournament, where Williams’ presence was felt on the boards and on defense with five rebounds and one block. The team lost the next game in the tournament to Notre Dame on a tip-in. Williams said he was playing ill the whole game, even vomiting at halftime.

“I was more fatigued than I normally was,” Williams recalled. “I couldn’t feel my legs, and [I was]barely breathing. I knew something was wrong with me.”

Still, Williams’ expectations for the 2016-17 season were high. He recalls thinking, “[I’m going to] lead us back to the promise land,” Williams said. “Dallas [Cameron], Ty [Charles] and I were going to lead us back.”

But last summer doctors diagnosed Williams with a serious heart condition. Williams said part of his heart is bigger than the rest, which is normal; the problem is that it was pumping weaker than a normal heart.

“I can’t do a lot of the activities I’ve been doing,” Williams said. “It’s a chance. [The doctor] doesn’t want it getting back weak and me passing out.”

Unfortunately, the doctor decided it was too dangerous for Williams to continue playing.

That blow followed closely behind the heartbreaking Notre Dame loss and the passing of his father just weeks later.

“It was hard,” Williams said of the setbacks. “I was just trying to find my road here, and as soon as I found it, it happened. But everything happens for a reason.”

Although Williams may not be able to continue to play basketball, that does not mean he won’t remain involved with the game he loves. Williams has plans to become a coach. With all he has been through in the last year, Williams said he is determined to make the most out of the rest of his basketball career. Whether playing or coaching, he will always be heavily involved in the sport.

SportsSFA Athletics | Intramural Sports | Sport Clubs

@TPLSports

Page 6 The Pine Log 2017

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SFA ScoreboardMEN’S BASKETBALL: Jacks outlast the Lions 60-52, play UNO next

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Ladyjacks steamroll Lady Lions 92-62

TRACK & FIELD: SLC Indoor Championships begin Wednesday

SOFTBALL: Ladyjacks earn 2-3 record in the Texas A&M tourney

BASEBALL: Lumberjacks go 2-2 during opening weekend at homePhoto by Bastian

York/ The Pine Log

Climbing the mountain

By Devin BrooksSports Editor

Fresh off two must-win games over their Southland conference foes, the Lumberjacks are headed to Louisiana for a showdown with the league-leading New Orleans Privateers for a chance to climb to the top spot in the SLC.

SFA will face UNO at 7:45 p.m. Thursday in Lakefront Arena.

The Jacks had some home cooking last week as they defeated the Incarnate Word Cardinals 87-79 and the Lamar Cardinals 70-61. SFA beat the Southeastern Louisiana Lions 60-52 in the first of three road games before their last home stand in early March. In those three wins, the Lumberjacks had total team production, which is what they will need to defeat the Privateers who are hanging on to the top seed in the SLC.

SFA is 15-11 overall and 10-4 in SLC play, while the Privateers are 11-4 in SLC play. The last time these two teams played, the Jacks were in the same situation that they’re in now, and they prevailed 71-61

at William R. Johnson Coliseum. That was a game in which senior guard Dallas Cameron joined Thomas Walkup, Jacob Parker and Trey Pinkney in the 100th win club.

For SFA to win this game, they’ll have to battle the roaring crowd at Lakefront Arena. Road games haven’t been SFA’s strong suit this season throughout SLC play, as they hold a 2-4 record on the road. However, when SFA has needed a victory, they have gotten it, and the task will be no different when they face UNO.

In UNO’s last game, the Privateers destroyed the Central Arkansas Bears 84-61. This season the Privateers average roughly 73 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field, which tops the league. They shoot 34 percent from long range, and they crash the boards often. pulling down 36.2 per game. Another UNO stat proves that the Privateers share the sugar.

They average 16 assists per game, which is one of their many strengths they rely on to get easy buckets throughout the game.

UNO has won four straight home games, and, like SFA, they’re extremely tough to beat at home. So the Jacks will have to strike early to set a tone that UNO will have a difficult time dealing with.

Along with their team production, SFA’s main goal will be containing 6-foot-5 stretch four Erik Thomas. Thomas shredded the Jacks during their first meeting by scoring his first seven shots deep in the paint. Thomas averages 20 ppg and rips down roughly eight rebounds a game. He is a post presence that can alter shots on the defensive end and make life miserable for the SFA bigs down low. UNO has other weapons in the form of speedy guards Nate Frye and Christavious Gill. These guards control the flow of the game for UNO, and at any time they can score at will. Frye averages 10.3 points per game, and Gill puts in 12 points per game. Cameron, Ivan Canete and other guards will have to play lock-down defense on the perimeter to limit the production that these two guards bring to the table.

As for SFA, they have had complete

production from all players. Ty Charles has emerged out of his shell and has changed the pace of play during SFA’s last three games. Guard Kevon Harris has also blossomed into one of the best energy players in the SLC.

SFA will need to be able to score from the perimeter to win this game. In their last contest, the Jacks played great defense that gave them many fast-break chances, which they took full advantage of all throughout the game.

Isaiah Traylor, Canete and Cameron will all be called upon to make long-distance shots when needed, and that’s something that they have been successful at during this four-game winning streak.

Post men T.J. Holyfield and Leon Gilmore will have to crash the boards with a vengeance for SFA to keep UNO at a standstill. SFA has been good at crashing the boards and making it difficult for opposing teams to control the glass. When SFA can dominate the glass and limit the offensive production they have every chance to win the game.

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Photo courtesy of SFA Athletics

Former SFA post C.J. Williams looks to pass during a game against Sam Houston during the 2015-16 basketball season. Williams has been diagnosed with a heart problem that has kept him sidelined since last summer.