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Southland Basketball: 2020 conference tournament preview and predictions

By Jason Burgess

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 15: Kevon Harris #1 of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks celebrates against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first half in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at American Airlines Center on March 15, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 15: Kevon Harris #1 of the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks celebrates against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first half in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at American Airlines Center on March 15, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 24: Avery Sullivan #5 of the Lamar Cardinals (Photo by Bryan Woolston/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY – NOVEMBER 24: Avery Sullivan #5 of the Lamar Cardinals (Photo by Bryan Woolston/Getty Images) /

Players to watch

SR – Kevon Harris – Stephen F. Austin

2019-20 stats: 17.5 pts, 5.7 rebs, 2.1 asts, 1.5 stls

For the top-seeded Lumberjacks, their most important player is senior guard Kevon Harris who leads the team in scoring with 17.5 which is fourth-best in the conference. The 6-6 Harris has been deadly from deep this season, shooting 41% from beyond the arc and is 2nd on the team in rebounding, pulling down 5.7 per game, and has stepped up his game against Abilene Christian, averaging 21 in the season sweep of the Wildcats.

Jr – Avery Sullivan – Lamar

2019-20 stats: 12.1 pts, 8.1 rebs, 50.9 fg%

Another key player in this tournament is the junior forward from Lamar, Avery Sullivan. Sullivan is third on the team in scoring at 12.1 per game but is the team’s best rebounder at 8.1 per game which is 3rd best in the conference. He has also shown flashes of being a force offensively even though he isn’t the top option. He has notched over 20 points four times this season and two of those have come in the last month where he has averaged 13.7 points per game since Feb. 1.

Sr – Sha’markus Kennedy – McNeese State

2019-20 stats: 18.6 pts, 10.8 rebs

The McNeese State Cowboys may be the last team in the field as the No. 7 seed but they do have conference Player of the Year candidate Sha’markus Kennedy. The 6-8 senior is 2nd in the conference in scoring at 18.6 and his 10.8 rebounds per game lead the Southland and his 68.7% field goal percentage trails only Udoka Azubuike of Kansas in college basketball. I’m not saying that the Cowboys will be making a big run, but Kennedy is the kind of guy that can put his team on his back.