The 2018–19 Southland Conference men's basketball season, the conference's 56th, began with practices in October 2018, followed by the start of the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season on November 6, 2018. Conference play began on January 2, 2019 concluding on March 9, 2019. The Sam Houston State Bearkats won the regular season championship with a conference record of 16–2. The 2019 Southland Conference men's basketball tournament was held in Katy, Texas at the Merrell Center from March 13–17, 2019. The 2nd seeded Abilene Christian Wildcats won the conference tournament championship and received the conference automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Two other teams also received bids to post season tournaments. Conference regular season champion, Sam Houston State, received the conference automatic bid to the NIT tournament. New Orleans received a bid to the CIT tournament.
Preseason
Coaching changes McNeese State University announced that it would not renew the contract of former head coach Dave Simmons on March 4, 2018. Heath Schroyer was named head coach on March 15, 2018.
Incarnate Word announced that Ken Burmeister would not return on March 6, 2018. Carson Cunningham was named as men's basketball head coach on March 23, 2018.
2018-19 Southland Men's Basketball Preseason Poll RankTeam( ) = first place votesVotes1 Stephen F. Austin(23) 2872 Southeastern Louisiana (2) 2433 New Orleans 2044 Abilene Christian (1) 1965 Lamar 1866 Sam Houston State 1847 McNeese State 1728 Central Arkansas 1369 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 115T10 Houston Baptist 101T10 Nicholls State 10112 Northwestern State 7313 Incarnate Word 30
Preseason All-Conference Teams Source: Award Recipients First Team Marlain Veal (Southeastern Louisiana) Shannon Bogues (Stephen F. Austin) Kevon Harris (Stephen F. Austin) T. J. Holyfield (Stephen F. Austin) Ishmael Lane (Northwestern State) Second TeamJosh Ibarra (Houston Baptist) Jalone Friday (Abilene Christian) Josh Nzeakor (Lamar) Jaren Lewis (Abilene Christian) Marcus Harris (Sam Houston State)
Postseason
Southland Conference tournament
March 13–16, 2019: Southland Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, Leonard E. Merrill Center, Katy, Texas
SessionGameTime*Matchup#ScoreTelevision First round – Wednesday, March 13, 201911 5:00 pmNo. 5 Lamar vs. No. 8 Houston Baptist 81–79ESPN+27:30 pmNo. 6 Texas A&M–CC vs. No. 7 Central Arkansas 53–73 Second round – Thursday, March 14, 2019235:00 pmNo. 4 New Orleans vs. No. 5 Lamar 76–72ESPN+47:30 pmNo. 3 Southeastern Louisiana vs. No. 7 Central Arkansas 79–65 Semifinals – Friday, March 15, 2019355:00 pmNo. 1 Sam Houston State vs. No. 4 New Orleans –ESPN+67:30 pmNo. 2 Abilene Christian vs. No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana - Championship – Saturday, March 16, 2019478:30 pmWinner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 – ESPN2 *Game times in CDT. #-Rankings denote tournament seeding. Source:
NCAA tournament
Abilene Christian, winner of the conference tournament, was awarded an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I basketball tournament. Abilene Christian's season ended losing to Kentucky in the first round.
National Invitation tournament
Sam Houston State received the conference automatic bid to the NIT tournament. The Bearkats lost in the first round of the tournament to TCU.
CollegeInsider.com Postseason tournament
New Orleans received a bid to the CIT. The Privateers lost in an overtime game to Texas Southern in the first round.
Awards and honors
Regular season
SLC Player-of-the-Week
Nov. 12 – Jaren Lewis (Abilene Christian) Nov. 19 – Morgan Taylor (Incarnate Word) Nov. 26 – Jaren Lewis (Abilene Christian) Dec. 3 – Kevon Harris (Stephen F. Austin) Dec. 10 – Shannon Bogues (Stephen F. Austin) Dec. 17 – Roydell Brown (McNeese State) Dec. 27 – Nick Garth (Lamar) Jan. 2 – Kevon Harris (Stephen F. Austin) Jan. 7 – Ian DuBose (Houston Baptist) Jan. 14 – Payten Ricks (Abilene Christian) Jan. 21 – Kai Mitchell (Sam Houston State) Jan. 28 – Cameron Delaney (Sam Houston State) Feb. 4 – Christian Barrett (Lamar) Feb. 11 – Ishmael Lane (Northwestern State) Feb. 18 – Nick Garth (Lamar) Feb. 25 – Josh Delaney (Sam Houston State) Mar. 4 – Nick Garth (Lamar) Mar. 10 – Jerimiah Jefferson (Nicholls)
Postseason
SLC All-Conference Teams and Awards Source: Award Recipients Coach of the Year Joe Golding (Abilene Christian) Player of the Year Cameron Delaney (Sam Houston State) Defensive Player of the Year Ishmael Lane (Northwestern State) Freshman of the Year Gerrale Gates (New Orleans) Newcomer of the Year Kai Mitchell (Sam Houston State) First Team Cameron Delaney (Sam Houston State)Marlain Veal (Southeastern Louisiana)Ishmael Lane (Northwestern Louisiana)Moses Greenwood (Southeastern Louisiana)Nick Garth (Lamar) Second Team Kevon Harris (Stephen F. Austin)Josh Nzeakor (Lamar)Jaren Lewis (Abilene Christian)Shannon Bogues (Stephen F. Austin)Ian DuBose (Houston Baptist) Third Team Jaylen Franklin (Abilene Christian)Josh Delaney (Sam Houston State)Kai Mitchell (Sam Houston State)Ezekial Charles (New Orleans)Kareem South (Texas A&M–Corpus Christi) Honorable Mention Roydell Brown (McNeese State)Jeremiah Jefferson (Nicholls)Payten Ricks (Abilene Christian)Thatch Unruh (Central Arkansas) All-Defensive Team Ishmael Lane (Northwestern State)Jaylen Franklin (Abilene Christian)Braxton Bonds (Houston Baptist)Marlain Veal (Southeastern Louisiana)Hayden Koval (Central Arkansas) First Team All-Academic Jaren Lewis (Abilene Christian)Jeremiah Jefferson (Nicholls)Hayden Koval (Central Arkansas)Ishmael Lane (Northwestern State)Oliver Lynch-Daniels (Houston Baptist) Second Team All-Academic Ezekial Charles (New Orleans)Ian DuBose (Houston Baptist)Hayden Farquhar (Abilene Christian)Scott Plaisance, Jr. (New Orleans)Kareem Smith (Texas A&M–Corpus Christi) All-Tournament Team Jaren Lewis (Abilene Christian) Jaylen Franklin (Abilene Christian) Payten Ricks (Abilene Christian) Scott Plaisance, Jr. (New Orleans) Josh Nzeakor (Lamar) Tournament MVP Jaren Lewis (Abilene Christian)
References