Fire Signs Two New Players
(05-22-08)

LAKELAND--Head Coach John Dunlap signed two new players Thursday, both of whom should give the Fire plenty of versatility going into next season.

The Fire has averaged over 25 wins the past four seasons, mostly due to Dunlap's ability to recruit talent. The beginning of this year's recruiting class seems to continue that pattern as the Fire landed Jordan Witte, a 6'2 point guard from Quincy, Illinois, and Malcolm Pollock, a 6'3 forward from Jasper, Florida.

Witte will bring size and depth to the Fire point guard position.

"Jordan has long range shooting ability and a good knowledge of running an offense, which will be a tremendous asset to our program," stated Dunlap.

Witte will graduate from Quincy Senior High School this spring, averaging 11.0 points and 4.0 assists his senior season there. He was a First Team Western Big Six selection, while also being named to the First Team of the Western Big Six's All-Academic team.

Witte could potentially play backup to senior point guard Sergio Negrin, who is coming back from a season-ending injury from a year ago.

"He also is fundamentally sound and possesses a high level of mental toughness," Dunlap added, referring to his new recruit.

Pollock will graduate from Hamilton County High School, also in the spring.

Pollock averaged 11.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game his senior season while also being named his team's most valuable player. He was also an All-Area Honorable Mention.

"Malcolm has athletic ability along with skills that enable him to score in a number of ways. His versatility will give the team a number of ways to utilize his talents," said Dunlap.

That versatility seems to have made an impression on the coaching staff, who noted that Pollock led his team in dunks his senior year despite playing the small forward position.

"He can defend on the perimeter or the post for us," added Dunlap.

That plays well for Pollock's future at Southeastern, as defense seems to be what Dunlap preaches the most at SEU. The Fire has been in the top five nationally the past five seasons in defensive field goal percentage, holding opposing teams last season to just 39.9% from the field.

The Fire will return at least seven players from last year's team, and the Fire coaching staff will continue to add more talent leading into the 2008-2009 season.

Galloway exceeds Expectations, Wins Second Straight South Region Player of the Year Award
(04-08-08)

LAKELAND--When Fire Head Coach John Dunlap landed local Polk County (Fla.) product Israel Gallloway back in 2004, he never thought he would turn into the two-time South Region Player of the Year.

Galloway was recently named the South Region Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He also was named an All-American First Team player for the second straight year.

When asked what he thought of Galloway coming in, Coach Dunlap responded quickly with one word: "Project." Dunlap added, "I liked the thought that he was a local kid and was playing at a high level in high school. I saw his defensive abilities, and with the team we had, that was one of the things we really needed."

And defense is what Coach Dunlap got from Galloway; over his four years, Galloway shattered every school record when it came to blocking shots, including a 13-block performance as a freshman versus Trinity College.

Coming out of nearby Lakeland Senior High School, Galloway was not heavily recruited and came to Southeastern because of his mother's influence in his life. Galloway's mother, Sybrena Galloway Lux, passed away in January, and Galloway credits his mother for getting him to come to Southeastern.

"She really pushed me to come to Southeastern," Galloway said. "I was looking at other schools, but she really wanted me to come here for the spiritual environment."

Good thing for Southeastern fans that Galloway did come to Southeastern. Over his four seasons at SEU, Galloway helped lead the Fire--as a freshman--to the 2005 NCCAA II National Championship. He also helped win over 100 games in his career.

Galloway leaves Southeastern as the school's third all-time leading scorer and the school's all-time leader in blocked shots.

Men's Basketball Season Likely Over
(02-29-08)

CLEARWATER--The Southeastern University men's basketball team's dream of competing for an NCCAA II National Championship could have come to an end, Friday night, as the Fire fell to No. 4 seed Atlanta Christian College, 84-68.

Southeastern defeated Atlanta Christian College twice during the regular season, but Friday night's game was never in doubt as the Chargers held SEU to just 33% shooting for the game.

Three Charger players scored 17 points: Reinaldo Reid, Chris Cooper, and Jamal Brunson, who also added 11 rebounds.

ACC took a 40-35 lead into halftime and built a 14-point lead with just 10:35 remaining in the game.

Southeastern battled back and was led by Lakeland's Israel Galloway, who finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks.

Freshman Nate Marshall added 18 points while Kathleen's Thomas Williams chipped in with 13 points and eight rebounds.

The Fire cut the lead to 10 points with 3:54 remaining, but Atlanta Christian closed out the game on a 14-8 run and made clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the game.

Now Southeastern, which finishes the year with a 24-10 overall record and a 13-3 South Region record, will need some help getting into the 2008 NCCAA II National Tournament in Springfield, Missouri, March 11-15.

The Chargers will play the winner of No. 1 seed Wesley College and No. 4 seed Clearwater Christian College, Saturday, at 3:00 p.m.

Wesley College is currently ranked the No. 1 team in the country and has locked in its ticket to the national tournament. Southeastern is now on the outside looking in, and could grab an at-large bid into the tournament, but with its loss to No. 3 seed ACC, the Fire could miss its first national tournament berth since 2003.

An Atlanta Christian win on Saturday would almost certainly cost the Fire a spot in the national tournament because the South Region Tournament winner automatically earns a bid into the tournament. Three teams from the same region have never made the national tournament in the same year.

The NCCAA II National Tournament field will be announced late Sunday night.

SEU Advances To South Region semifinals; Galloway Named South Region Player of the Year

CLEARWATER--The Southeastern University men's basketball team advanced to the South Region semifinals with a 98-71 victory over Piedmont Baptist College, Thursday afternoon, at Clearwater Christian College.

The Fire used a 31-14 run in the last 10 minutes of the first half to take control of the game for good.

Southeastern (24-9, 13-2) led 56-25 at halftime, shooting 60% from the field.

It was Southeastern's third victory on the season over Piedmont Baptist Bible College.

Nate Marshall, the South Region Freshman of the Year, led the Fire with 27 points, 19 of which came in the first half.

Israel Galloway added 14 points and three blocks, while Fenny Falmagne pitched in with 13 points and six rebounds.

Galloway was named the 2008 South Region Player of the Year. The former Lakeland, Florida, high school standout earned this honor for the second consecutive season.

Anthony Turner was the only other player to score in double digits with 12 points.

Southeastern, the No. 2 seed overall in the tournament, will play No. 3 seed Atlanta Christian College today at 5:00 p.m.

Southeastern To Open With Piedmont Baptist College in South Region Tournament
(02-26-08)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team earned the No. 2 seed for this weekend's NCCAA II South Region championship tournament in Clearwater, Florida, hosted by Clearwater Christian College.

The Fire will open up with No. 7 seed Piedmont Baptist College, Thursday, at 3:00 p.m.

Wesley College earned the No. 1 seed overall and will have a first-round bye.

Southeastern put together a 12-2 South Region record, with its only two losses coming from Wesley College.

Atlanta Christian College earned the No. 3 seed overall while host school Clearwater Christian College grabbed the No. 4 seed.

Trinity College rounds out the tournament as the No. 6 seed.

WIth a win on Thursday, Southeastern would face the winner of Atlanta Christian College and Trinity College, Friday at 5:00 p.m.

The South Region Championship game will be on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

South Region Seeds
1. Wesley College
2. Southeastern University
3. Atlanta Christian College
4. Clearwater Christian College
5. Toccoa Falls College
6. Trinity College
7. Piedmont Baptist College

Fire Clinches No. 2 Seed With Win Over Atlanta Christian College
(02-22-08)

ATLANTA--The Southeastern University men's basketball team clinched the No. 2 seed in the upcoming South Region Tournament with an 87-86 victory over Atlanta Christian College, Thursday night.

The FIre led by as many as 20 points in the second half, but had to fight off a late Charger run to pull out the victory.

Anthony Turner led SEU with 26 points and nine rebounds, while Israel Galloway added 19 points and nine rebounds.

Fenny Falmagne chipped in with 15 points, four rebounds, and four steals.

Southeastern (22-9, 12-2) will now advance to the South Region Tournament as the tournament's No. 2 seed overall. The Fire's only two losses came to No. 1 ranked Wesley College, which earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament.

This year's South Region Tournament will be hosted by Clearwater Christian College, February 29-March 1st.

Which team Southeastern will play next Friday is still undetermined, but the Fire will finish up the regular season with a game versus Carver Bible College tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Drops Two Games On Road Trip
(02-18-08)

PENSACOLA--The Southeastern University men's basketball team had its 12-game winning streak snapped this weekend, as SEU lost on Friday night to Wesley College, 90-82, and then fell to Pensacola Christian College, Saturday, 83-68.

Mitch Helmuth led the Fire versus Wesley College with 18 points.

Wesley College is the No. 1-ranked team in the country for NCCAA II schools and won its third straight game over the Fire to take a commanding lead in the South Region.

Israel Galloway led the Fire versus PCC, as he scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. PCC avenged an 84-73 loss to the Fire back on January 15 in Lakeland.

Southeastern (20-9, 10-2) will travel to New Port Richey, Florida, on Tuesday night to play Trinity College. The Fire defeated Trinity College, 97-71, February 12, in Lakeland.

Southeastern Says Good-Bye To Galloway; Records Triple-Double In Final Home Game
(02-13-08)

LAKELAND--Playing in his final home game of his career, Southeastern's Israel Galloway recorded his first career triple-double and led the Fire past Trinity College, 97-71, Tuesday night.

Galloway scored 22 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and blocked 10 shots for SEU, which pulled away at the end of the first half and never looked back.

"I grew a lot at Southeastern, and the majority of my growth came from my mother; she pushed me spiritually, academically, and emotionally," said Galloway.

Galloway's mother recently passed away in January, and he credits his mother for getting him to come to Southeastern.

"She really pushed me to come to Southeastern. I was looking at other schools, but she really wanted me to come here for the spiritual environment," added Galloway.

Galloway is a graduate from nearby Lakeland Senior High School, and he leaves Southeastern as the school's all-time leader in blocked shots. He will finish in the top-five of all time in points and rebounds as well.

The Fire heated up in the second half, shooting 59% from the floor as another Polk County product, Thomas Williams, added 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.

Another Fire senior, Anthony Turner, added 14 points and seven rebounds while Fenny Falmagne contributed 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

Brad Augustine chipped in with 12 points, seven rebounds, and four assists as Southeastern won its 12th straight game.

Southeastern (20-7, 10-1) will next travel to Florence, Mississippi, to battle No. 1-ranked Wesley College in a South Region showdown on Friday.

Wesley College handed the Fire its only region loss on the season, a 67-65, loss back on December 1, 2007.

Fire Continues To Roll; Defeats Clearwater Christian, 90-83
(02-11-08)

CLEARWATER--The Southeastern University men's basketball team won its 11th straight game behind Nate Marshall's career-high 29 points, as the Fire defeated rival Clearwater Christian College, 90-83, Saturday afternoon.

It was Southeastern's 14th straight victory over the Cougars, and the Fire now improves to 19-7 on the year overall and 9-1 in the South Region.

SEU's Anthony Turner scored 20 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out three assists while Lakeland's Israel Galloway added 15 points.

The Fire built a 24-point lead in the second half but had to hold off the Cougars late; the Cougars cut the lead to five points with under a minute remaining.

The Cougars were led by Lonzo Saunders and Evin Hamm who both scored 16 points apiece.

Former Kathleen Senior High School standout Thomas Williams added 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Brad Augustine contributed 10 points and 13 rebounds off the bench.

Southeastern will host Trinity College, Tuesday night, at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Wins Again Behind Galloway's 27 points
(02-04-08)

LAKELAND--Lakeland's Israel Galloway scored a game-high 27 points to lead Southeastern University past Atlanta Christian College, 79-59, Saturday afternoon in the Southeastern University Sportsplex.

Galloway also grabbed seven rebounds and blocked four shots as Southeastern won its 10th straight game and improved to 18-7 on the year and 8-1 overall in the South Region.

Freshman Nathan Marshall scored 14 points off the bench with five assists while Anthony Turner added 11 points and seven rebounds.

Southeastern led 37-28 at halftime and forced 23 Atlanta Christian turnovers for the game.

ACC cut the score to 50-46 with 11:48 remaining in the game, but the Fire closed out the last 10 minutes of the game on a 29-13 run to seal the victory.

Southeastern will next play at Clearwater Christian College on Saturday.

Fire Heats Up on Homecoming Night
(02-01-08)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team won its ninth straight game Friday night with a 91-47 victory over Piedmont Baptist College on homecoming night.

GEICO sponsored this year's homecoming for Southeastern, and the Fire didn't disappoint. The Fire took a 47-22 lead into halftime and opened up the game on a 26-7 run in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

Five Fire players scored in double digits, led by Nathan Marshall's 17 points, nine assists, and four steals.

Former Kathleen Senior High School (Lakeland, Fla.) standout Thomas Williams scored 12 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out four assists.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway added 16 points, six rebounds, and six blocks while Anthony Turner contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, and three steals.

Fenny Falmagne chipped in with 13 points and five assists as Southeastern improved to 17-7 on the year and 7-1 in the South Region.

The Fire shot a blistering 51% from the floor for the game and held Piedmont Baptist to just 30.8% from the floor.

Southeastern will host Atlanta Christian College on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

Fire Wins Eighth Straight Game, 99-96, Over Florida College
(01-30-08)

TEMPLE TERRACE--The Southeastern University men's basketball team swept its season series with Florida College, Tuesday night, with a 99-96 victory behind senior Israel Galloway's 27 points.

The former Lakeland Senior High School standout led SEU to its eighth straight victory.

Freshman Nate Marshall added 21 points while another freshman from nearby Lakeland Christian School, Matt Miller, chipped in with 17 points.

Southeastern is now 16-7 on the year and will host Piedmont Baptist College, Friday night, at 8:00 p.m.

Fire Cruises Past Florida Christian College, 96-56
(01-22-08)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team finished up the first half Tuesday night versus Florida Christian College on a 30-11 run and eventually went on to defeat FCC, 96-56, winning its seventh straight game.

Kathleen Senior High School (Lakeland, Fla.) graduate Thomas Williams led the Fire with 14 point and six rebounds.

The Fire used a tough defense to force 19 turnovers and hold FCC to just 33% shooting for the game.

SEU also outrebounded Florida Christian College, 55-35.

Former Lakeland Senior High School standout Israel Galloway added 13 points, six rebounds, and six blocks.

Anthony Turner scored 13 points and grabbed five rebounds while Nathan Marshall contributed 12 points and five rebounds.

Hussein Ali chipped in with 10 points off the bench while former Lakeland Christian School star Matt Miller dished out seven assists.

Southeastern is now 15-7 overall on the year and 6-1 in the South Region.

Fire Wins Sixth Straight, Defeats Toccoa Falls 106-67
(01-19-08)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team defeated Toccoa Falls College, 106-67, Saturday as the Fire closed out the last 10 minutes of the first half on a 28-11 run to take control of the game.

SEU held Toccoa Falls to just 23% shooting while the Fire shot 48% from the floor in the first half; by halftime, SEU produced a 48-24 lead.

Lakeland Senior High School graduate Israel Galloway led the Fire with 23 points and six rebounds as 11 different Fire players scored in the game.

Nathan Marshall scored 16 points, and Jordan McKenna added 13 points for SEU.

Sterling Brown was the only other Fire player to score in double figures, with 12 points, while Brad Augustine grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds while dishing out seven assists.

Southeastern (14-7, 5-1) has now won six straight games and will host Florida Christian College, Tuesday night, at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Wins Fifth Straight Game, Beats Pensacola Christian, 84-73
(01-16-08)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team won its fifth straight game Tuesday night with a 84-73 victory over Pensacola Christian College.

Five players for the Fire scored in double digits.

Sterling Brown and Nathan Marshall scored 16 points apiece while Kathleen Senior High School (Lakeland, Fla.) graduate Thomas Williams added 15 points and four rebounds.

Former Lakeland Christian School standout Matt Miller scored 12 points and added five assists while former Lakeland Senior High School star Israel Galloway chipped in with 12 points and four blocks.

Southeastern led Pensacola Christian, 40-38, at halftime and outscored the Eagles, 44-35, in the second half.

The Fire also had a season-low six turnovers for the game.

Southeastern (13-7) will now play four straight South Region games, starting Saturday when the Fire hosts Toccoa Falls College at 3:00 p.m.

Fire Wins 2008 AG Tournament
(01-14-08)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.--The Southeastern University men's basketball team won the 2008 Assemblies of God tournament this weekend as SEU defeated Valley Forge Christian College, 85-83, Saturday night.

But SEU had to take care of business Friday night before the matchup with Valley Forge on Saturday. The Fire defeated North Central University, 75-56, behind Israel Galloway's 17 points. Sterling Brown added 13 points in the win.

In the game versus Valley Forge, Southeastern came into the game ranked fourth in the country while Valley Forge was ranked third.

Three Polk County products helped the Fire win the tournament as Lakeland's Galloway scored a game-high 28 points and was named tournament MVP.

Lakeland Christian School graduate Matt Miller scored 20 points in the game, and the Fire is now 4-0 since Miller came back to the team from injury.

Thomas Williams, who graduated from Lakeland's Kathleen Senior High School, added 10 points for SEU, which improves to 12-7 on the year.

SEU last won the AG tournament back in 2005 and eventually went on to win the school's first NCCAA II National Championship that season.

Southeastern will host Pensacola Christian College, Tuesday night, at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Wins Close Game Over CBC In First Day of AG Tournament
(01-11-08)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.--The Southeastern Univeristy men's basketball team defeated Central Bible College, 69-67, Thursday night on the first day of the 2008 Assemblies of God tournament.

Israel Galloway led the Fire with 25 points while freshman Nate Marshall added 13 points for SEU.

Southeastern last won the AG tournament back in 2005.

The Fire did not participate in 2006 and tied with North Central University last year for the tournament championship.

Southeastern (10-7) has a 6-1 record in the AG tournament in its last seven games and will take on North Central University tonight at 6:00 p.m.

Fire Rolls Past Saint Louis Christian, 109-64
(01-08-08)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team got back on track Tuesday night by defeating St. Louis Christian College, 109-64, behind Nathan Marshall's 20 points.

Every player on the Fire roster scored in the game as SEU outscored Saint Louis Christian, 56-29, in the second half to improve to 9-7 on the year.

Lakeland Senior High School graduate Israel Galloway scored 17 points while grabbing eight rebounds.

Sterling Brown added 15 points and four assists while Jordan McKenna added 12 points off the bench.

Kathleen Senior High School graduate Thomas Williams pitched in with 10 points and six rebounds.

Former Lakeland Christian standout Matt Miller added nine points and eight assists.

Southeastern will travel to Springfield, Missouri, on Wednesday to compete in the annual Assemblies of God tournament this weekend.

The Fire will open up the tournament with Central Bible College, Thursday night, at 8:00 p.m.

Fire Falls To Maryville College
(01-07-08)

LAKELAND--Southeastern University, for the first time this season, dropped back-to-back games this weekend, this time falling to Maryville College (Maryville, Tenn.) 80-66, Saturday afternoon, in the last day of the 2008 New Year's Classic Tournament.

Maryville outscored SEU 46-32 in the second half; the score was tied 34-34 at halftime.

The Fire had a problem taking care of the basketball both nights of the tournament. SEU had 29 turnovers Friday night versus Piedmont College, and Maryville forced 25 turnovers in the game on Saturday.

Israel Galloway scored 22 points, going 8-for-10 from the field while also grabbing six rebounds.

Nate Marshall was the only other Fire player to score in double digits, scoring 13 points while adding three assists.

Southeastern will now host Saint Louis Christian College Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Falls To Piedmont College, 74-72
(01-04-08)

LAKELAND--With nearly three weeks off since their last game, the Southeastern University men's basketball team fell to Piedmont College (Demorest, Ga.) 74-72, Friday night, as the Fire committed 29 turnovers in the game.

SEU led for much of the game, but a late three-pointer by Piedmont's Michael Rubio tied the game at 69-69 with just under 1:30 remaining.

Southeastern's Thomas Williams hit one-of-two free throws to give the Fire a 70-69 lead, but Piedmont earned its first lead of the second half when Jake Green hit a pair of free throws on Piedmont's next possession, giving the Lions a 71-70 lead with just 25 seconds to go.

Then, another costly turnover and a foul by SEU put Rubio back on the line. He connected on two free throws, giving Piedmont a 73-70 lead.

Fire guard Sterling Brown then drove to the basket and was fouled with just nine seconds remaining. Brown converted both free throws, making the score 73-72.

Southeastern then fouled Piedmont's Samuel Coppage with eight seconds left and got what it was looking for as Coppage made only one-of-two free throws, keeping the game within reach for the Fire with the score at 74-72.

The Fire had a couple of good looks under the basket with time running out, but could not convert, and Southeastern now falls to 8-6 on the year.

Israel Galloway led the Fire with 21 points and six rebounds. Brown finished with 14 points and eight rebounds, while Anthony Turner added eight points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Southeastern will play Maryville College (Maryville, Tenn.) on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger: The Fire holds on to beat Sterling College, 71-69
(12-18-07)

LAKELAND--Southeastern men's basketball coach John Dunlap was concerned how his squad would play Monday against Sterling College.

The Fire was coming off of finals week, and this was the last game before Christmas break. Dunlap was worried his team may not have been mentally ready to play. (Click here for more.)

Fire Falls To NCAA I Bethune-Cookman
(12-11-07)

DAYTONA BEACH--The Southeastern University men's basketball team was looking for its second victory over a NCAA D-I opponent Monday night, this time against Bethune-Cookman College.

The Fire jumped out to a 19-6 lead halfway through the first half, but in the end the Wildcats had just too many athletes and outscored the Fire, 37-21, in the second half to win 65-51.

SEU (7-5) took a 30-28 halftime lead into the locker room; the Fire did a good job defensively in the first half, holding BCC to just 33% shooting from the floor while the Fire shot 55%.

Once again the Fire was without two of its main point guards, Sergio Negrin and Matt Miller. But despite the lack of depth, the Fire handled BCC's pressure well enough to keep itself in the game.

Only one Fire player scored in double digits; Sterling Brown scored 10 points while grabbing four rebounds.

Anthony Turner added nine points off the bench and freshman Nate Marshall contributed eight points.

BCC held the Fire to just 28% shooting in the second half and outrebounded the Fire 37-26 for the game.

Southeastern will finish up its first semester by hosting NCAA III Sterling College on Monday at 7:00 p.m.

NOTES

--Starting point guard Sergio Negrin, who broke his left hand in the first game of the season versus Florida College, will have his cast taken off on Wednesday. Negrin is scheduled to be cleared to play in January.

--Backup point guard Matt Miller, who had been out of the lineup the past three games due to illness, is scheduled to be back in the Fire lineup on Monday versus Sterling College.

Fire Knocks Off No. 12 Warner Southern In Overtime
(12-10-07)

LAKELAND--After squandering a four-point field lead at the end of regulation, the Southeastern men's basketball team regrouped and defeated NAIA Warner Southern College, 99-96, in overtime in the final day of the Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament hosted by Southeastern University.

Warner Southern came into the 2007 Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament, 6-0, and ranked No. 12 in the nation for NAIA schools.

However, the Royals will most certainly be knocked out of the top-25 NAIA poll this week after falling to Emmanuel College on Friday night and then to SEU on Saturday.

SEU led 86-82 with just 15 seconds remaining in the game, but a three-point field goal by Warner Southern's Tommy Kleinshnitz cut the lead to one with under 10 seconds remaining.

Then, a Royal steal and a Southeastern foul put Warner Southern's Alex Castillo at the free throw line with 1.4 seconds remaining and a chance to win it for WSC.

But Castillo hit just one of two free throws, and the game went into overtime where the Fire outscored Warner Southern, 13-10; Fire freshman Nate Marshall sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway led the Fire with 23 points, five rebounds, and three blocks while Marshall finished with 18 points, going 9-for-12 at the charity stripe for the game. Marshall also added four assists and four steals.

Sterling Brown added 14 points while Thomas Williams and Fenny Falmagne both scored 10 points apiece.

Southeastern led 45-37 at halftime and did a good job handling the basketball despite not having one point guard on its roster available to play due to injuries or sickness.

Warner Southern's Brandon Hamilton and Preston Adams both scored 20 points apiece while Kleinshnitz finished with 17 points, connecting on four three-pointers.

Southeastern (7-4) will travel to Daytona Beach on Monday to play NCAA I Bethune-Cookman at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Falls In Close Game

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team dropped a tough game Friday night to NAIA St. Thomas University, 75-74, in the first night of the 2007 Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament.

SEU trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half but battled back in the second half and gathered a 65-60 lead with just 6:32 remaining in the game.

But the Fire kept St. Thomas in the game with a couple of turnovers and some missed free throws; St. Thomas closed out the game on a 15-9 run.

St. Thomas's Antonio Jones scored a game-high 24 points while dishing out four assists.

Southeastern (6-4) was led by Sterling Brown's 14 points and three assists.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway got into foul trouble early in the second half and finished the game with eight points, four rebounds, and three blocks. Kathleen Senior High School graduate Thomas Williams added eight points and seven rebounds.

The Fire will play Warner Southern College, Saturday, at 4:00 p.m.

Fire Lose Close Game To South Region Rival Wesley College, 67-65
(12-03-07)

LAKELAND--Defending South Region champion Wesley College held on down the stretch to defeat Southeastern University, 67-65, on Saturday despite Israel Galloway's effort for the Fire.

Galloway, the 2007 South Region Player of the Year, scored a team-high 25 points while grabbing eight rebounds and blocking four shots.

Galloway, a former Lakeland Senior High School standout, went 9-for-11 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free throw line.

But Wesley College grabbed 20 offensive rebounds in the game, and Wesley player Josh Cole scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Wesley College is 3-1 versus SEU the past two years, and in all three victories, the Warriors have won by three points or less.

Sterling Brown scored 11 points for the Fire while Anthony Turner added eight points off the bench.

Southeastern (6-3) will host the Second Annual Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament next weekend, starting Friday night when SEU plays NAIA St. Thomas University at 8:00 p.m.

Fire Wins 13th Straight Game Over Clearwater Christian
(11-29-07)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team jumped out to an early 10-0 lead over Clearwater Christian College and never trailed in the game, as Southeastern defeated the Cougars, 78-64, before 1,500 SEU fans.

Former Lakeland Senior High School standout Israel Galloway scored 16 points while grabbing nine rebounds and blocking five shots.

Jordan McKenna hit three three-point field goals and finished with 13 points while Fenny Falmagne scored all of his 11 points in the second half.

Hussein Ali added eight points and 12 rebounds, and Lakeland Christian graduate Matt Miller dished out six assists.

Another Polk County product, Thomas Williams, who played at Kathleen Senior High School, added nine points, six rebounds, and four assists.

Southeastern (6-2, 4-0) has defeated Clearwater Christian 13 straight times and will host Wesley College, Saturday, starting at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Falls To St. Leo University
(11-27-07)

ST. LEO--The Southeastern University men's basketball team fell to NCAA II St. Leo University, 79-58, Monday night.

SEU trailed 44-24 at halftime as St. Leo forced 24 SEU turnovers into 36 points and held the Fire to just 32% shooting for the game.

Israel Galloway scored 11 points while Matt Miller added 10 points and three assists.

SEU will host Clearwater Christian College, Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Defeats NCAA D-I Savannah State University, 67-65
(11-25-07)

SAVANNAH, Ga.--The Southeastern University men's basketball team made history Wednesday night by defeating NCAA D-I Savannah State University, 67-65, giving Southeastern its first victory over an NCAA D-I opponent in school history.

"This was an absolute team effort; everybody stepped up and accepted their roles," said Southeastern Head Coach John Dunlap.

Freshman Nate Marshall led the Fire with 13 points as he hit two three-point field goals on the night; SEU hit eight three-pointers in the game.

The Fire shot 47% from three-point land and 45% from the floor for the game.

SEU's only other player to score in double figures was senior Israel Galloway, who finished with 11 points and five blocks.

Southeastern has been on a roll, going 3-0 on its three-game road trip this week and is now 5-1 on the year--its best start since 2005.

SEU had 10 players score in the game and battled back from a 10-point deficit in the second half.

"Having 10 players score, it's such a team effort, and we were real good defensively," added Dunlap.

The Fire held Savannah State to just 44% shooting for the game and outrebounded SSU, 34 to 33.

Southeastern's only loss this season came on November 15 to NCAA D-II, Rollins College, and the Fire battled in that contest too, losing 75-72.

Southeastern (5-1, 3-0) will travel to play NCAA D-II, St. Leo University, on Monday. Game time is 7:00 p.m.

Fire Defeats Toccoa Falls College, 97-70
(11-21-07)

TOCCOA FALLS, Ga.--The Southeastern University men's basketball team defeated Toccoa Falls College, 97-70, Tuesday night in another South Region contest for the Fire.

Southeastern (4-1, 3-0) will play NCAA I Savannah State University today at 4:00 p.m.

Israel Galloway and David Gaulman led the Fire with 13 points apiece while Anthony Turner added 11 points and former Kathleen Senior High School standout Thomas Williams added 10 points.

SEU has scored over 90 points during four out of the Fire's five games this season.

Fire Keeps Rolling, Wins 99-41
(11-20-07)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--The Southeastern University men's basketball team continues to impress early on this season as the Fire defeated Piedmont Baptist College, 99-41, Monday night in a South Region contest.

The Fire is averaging 94 points per game this season and improved to 3-1 on the season and 2-0 in the South Region.

Hussein Ali led all scorers with 19 points while Sterling Brown and Jordan McKenna both chipped in with 12 points.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway scored 10 points in the game while former Lakeland Christian School standout Matt Miller dished out eight assists; the Fire had 28 assists for the game.

Southeastern will play Toccoa Falls College today at 5:00 p.m. in Toccoa, Georgia.

SEU's next home game will be November 29 against Clearwater Christian College. Game time is for 7:00 p.m.

SEU Nearly Upsets NCAA II Rollins College
(11-15-07)

WINTER PARK--The Southeastern University men's basketball team almost pulled off the biggest upset in its program's history, Thursday night, but came up just short as the Fire fell to NCAA II Rollins College 75-72.

Nate Marshall led the Fire with 11 points.

Israel Galloway and Hussein Ali both added 10 points apiece.

SEU shot 51% from the field and held Rollins to just 40% from the floor.

Jordan McKenna hit a late three-pointer to cut the lead, 75-72, and SEU got the ball back off of a missed Rollins free throw.

Southeastern had the ball with five seconds left but turned it over. Turnovers were the team's Achilles' heel Thursday: SEU finished the game with 27 turnovers.

Southeastern (2-1) will travel to Winston-Salem, N.C. on Monday to play South Region foe Piedmont Baptist Bible College.

Southeastern's next home game will be November 29 versus Clearwater Christian College

Fire Improves To 2-0 After Win against Florida Christian

KISSIMMEE--The Southeastern Univeristy men's basketball team improved to 2-0 on the year with a 96-68 victory over Florida Christian College, Tuesday night.

SEU was led by freshman Nate Marshall's 18 points while Israel Galloway added 14 points.

Sterling Brown and Jordan McKenna both scored 12 points apiece for the Fire.

SEU will travel to Winter Park tonight to take on NCAA II Rollins College at 7:00 p.m.

Fire Wins Season Opener Over Florida College
(11-08-07)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team opened its season with a 112-85 victory over Florida College, Thursday night, in the Southeastern University Sportsplex.

The Fire jumped out to a 22-10 lead in the first 10 minutes of the game and never looked back.

SEU was led by former Lakeland High School standout Israel Galloway's 15 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.

Southeastern (1-0) took a 45-35 lead into halftime and forced 28 turnovers over the course of the game.

Another Polk County product, freshman Matt Miller, who played his high school basketball at Lakeland Christian, scored 13 points off the bench, hitting three three-point field goals for the game.

Every SEU player scored as the Fire shot 58% from the field for the game.

Senior Sergio Negrin scored 13 points, while Anthony Turner added 12 points and three assists off the bench.

Southeastern will next play Tuesday when they travel to Kissimmee to take on Florida Christian College.

Fire Signs Polk County Standout
(07-12-07)

LAKELAND--Southeastern University signed former Lakeland Christian School star Matt Miller this past week, giving the Fire another Polk County standout on its roster.

Miller is a two-time Class 2A District 10 Player of the Year and averaged 18.6 points, 3.2 steals, and 5.5 assists per game last season. He was also named a Class 2A All-State Honorable Mention.

"He is not only talented, but has a very high level of understanding on how to play the game of basketball," said Fire Head Coach John Dunlap. "Matt is a natural leader and a winner, and we have just enhanced our program for the next four years by signing another local standout."

Coach Dunlap has often found success through recruiting local Polk County players.

In 2004, Dunlap signed former Lakeland High School player Israel Galloway. Galloway has been a three-year starter for the Fire and has led the nation in blocked shots three straight seasons.

Last year, Coach Dunlap landed Thomas Williams, who played his high school basketball at Kathleen High School.

Williams averaged 11.6 points per game last season and was named a Second Team All-Region player in his first year at SEU.

Dunlap also found success in signing former Lake Region player Sherman Merricks in 2001. Merricks finished his career at SEU as the school's all-time leader in assists and steals while leading the Fire to the 2005 NCCAA II National Championship.

Miller stands at 5'11 and can play both guard positions. He finished his career at LCS as the school's all-time leader in points, steals, and assists.

Fire Takes Fifth In the Nation With Win Over CBC
(03-10-07)

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK--Southeastern University finished up their season with a 62-61 victory over Central Bible College Saturday afternoon to take fifth place nationally in the NCCAA II National Tournament.

It was the Fire's second victory over the Spartans this season, the other victory a 74-56 win over CBC in the annual Assemblies of God Tournament in January.

SEU's top-five finish makes them the only NCCAA II team in the nation to finish in the top five nationally the past four seasons.

After trailing 46-38 with 13:37 remaining in the game, SEU Head Coach John Dunlap picked up a technical foul, which seemed to put a spark in the Fire for the rest of the game.

After the technical, Southeastern went on a 19-5 run and built a six-point lead with just over six minutes remaining in the game. Southeastern would never trail after that point.

The Fire men heated up in the second half, shooting 51% from the floor, mainly because they got the ball inside.

David Gaulman led the Fire offense with 16 points and nine rebounds.

South Region Player of the Year Israel Galloway added 15 points and 13 rebounds, bringing his national tournament average to 18.3 points per game.

Galloway was also named a First Team All-American, becoming the first SEU player to be named an All-American since Johnnie Grant in 2005.

CBC's Kendall Alfaro hit a huge three-pointer with just 57 seconds remaining to cut SEU's lead to 59-58, but senior Matt Powell iced the game down the stretch, hitting some clutch free throws to seal the victory for the Fire.

CBC's Arjay Johnson scored 16 points and added six assists, while Alfaro finished the game with 13 points for the Spartans.

Southeastern finishes their season with a 26-12 record, giving the Fire five straight seasons with at least 20 wins.

Also, Danny Rohrdanz and Matt Powell were recognized for their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom, both being named 2007 National Scholar Athletes.

Fire Regroups, Defeats Multnomah, 86-64
(03-09-07)

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK--After dropping a tough game in the NCCAA II quarterfinals Thursday night, the Southeastern University men's basketball team regrouped Friday afternoon to defeat Multnomah Bible College 86-64 behind Jordan McKenna's 22 points off the bench.

McKenna hit six three-point field goals for the game, giving the Fire some much-needed outside shooting to support Israel Galloway inside.

Galloway finished the game with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Thomas Williams contributed 10 points.

Every player on the Fire roster saw playing time in the game, with nine different SEU players scoring.

The Fire also did a nice job of protecting the basketball, as Sterling Brown dished out nine assists with just two turnovers while Brad Augustine, coming off the bench, added eight assists with no turnovers. The Fire committed just 12 turnovers for the game.

Southeastern (25-12) will play Central Bible College for the second straight year in the national tournament, facing the Spartans Saturday at 4:00 p.m. The winner will take fifth place overall for the national tournament.

SEU defeated CBC 74-56 this last January in the annual Assemblies of God Tournament, which was hosted by Southeastern.

With a win on Saturday, SEU will finish in the NCCAA II top five for the fourth straight season.

SEU Falls To Mid-America Christian, 76-71

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK--No. 5 seed and tournament host Mid-America Christian University defeated Southeastern University 76-71 Thursday night in the quarter-finals of the NCCAA II Men's Basketball National Tournament, ending SEU's dreams of winning the NCCAA II National Championship this year.

Now the highest SEU can place in the national tournament is fifth overall, and their next step toward that goal is the game against No. 8 seed Multnomah Bible College Friday at 2:00 p.m.

SEU (24-12) led 36-34 at halftime, but Mid-America went on a 10-0 run halfway through the second half to open up a 67-59 lead with just 4:20 remaining in the game. Mid-America would never surrender the lead from that point on.

In the second half, the Evangels out-rebounded the Fire 20-11 and shot 51% from the floor to advance to the NCCAA II Final Four.

Mid-America's Stevan Thomas's racked up 18 points and six rebounds on the night. Stuart Payne added 12 second-half points, and Andre McCoy dished out 12 assists.

South Region Player of the Year Israel Galloway led SEU with 25 points on the night and hit some big shots down the stretch to keep the Fire in the game.

Trailing 74-71 with 19 seconds left in the game, SEU's Thomas Williams set up Fire sharp-shooter Brent Dillard for a game-tying three-pointer, but Dillard's shot was off the mark, allowing the Evangels to ice the game at the free-throw line.

Williams finished with eight points and five assists for SEU.

Mid-America will play No. 1 seed Wesley College on Friday night at 8:00 p.m. The winner of that game will play in the NCCAA II National Championship game Saturday night at 8:00 p.m.

Fire Earns First-Round Bye, Fourth Seed Overall
(02-27-07)

LAKELAND--Despite falling to Wesley College in the South Region championship game, Southeastern University earned a first-round bye and the No. 4 seed overall in the NCCAA II men's basketball national tournament, March 6-10, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Southeastern has a 24-11 overall record and finished with a 15-2 record in the South Region. Both South Region losses came at the hands of Wesley College. However, the Fire has an 18-3 record overall versus NCCAA II opponents, and with its strong non-conference schedule, the Fire managed to earn a first-round bye.

Southeastern will face the winner of No. 5 seed Mid-America Christian University and No. 12 seed Lancaster Bible College Thursday night at 8:00 p.m.

Mid-America Christian University will host the tournament for the second straight season. With a MCU victory over Lancaster Bible, SEU could be looking at a tough second-round matchup on MCU's home floor.

Southeastern is 5-1 in the NCCAA II national tournament since 2005 with two NCCAA II Final Four appearances and one NCCAA II National Championship.

Stay connected to the Fire Website for all the latest news on SEU's run for another national title.

NCCAA II National Tournament Seedings

1. Wesley College
2. Kentucky Christian University
3. Southwestern Christian University
4. Southeastern University
5. Mid-America Christian University
6. Northland Baptist Bible College
7. Pillsbury Baptist Bible College
8. Multnomah Bible College
9. Valley Forge Christian College
10. Grace Bible College
11. Central Bible College
12. Lancaster Bible College

SEU Falls To Wesley College in Championship Game
(02-24-07)

TOCCOA FALLS, GA--No. 1 ranked Southeastern University fell to No.3 Wesley College, Saturday afternoon, in the NCCAA II South Region Championship game, 78-75.

The Fire controlled the game throughout, but Wesley's Stephen Smith hit a three-pointer with 1:45 remaining to give Wesley a 74-71 lead.

Trailing, 76-75, with 20 seconds in the game, the Fire got the ball with a chance to win, but Wesley managed to get a huge steal, and hit two free-throws to take a, 78-75, lead after an intentional foul was called.

With seven seconds remaining, SEU's Sterling Brown got a steal at halfcourt, then passed to senior Matt Powell who tried to tie the game with a three-point attempt, but his shot missed and Southeastern fell to Wesley for the second time this season.

Terrance Robinson carried Wesley with 21 points connecting on four three-point field goals. Smith finished with 16 points and four rebounds.

Southeastern (23-12) was looking for their fourth straight South Region Championship and sixth in seven years, but will have to settle for an at-large bid into the 2007 NCCAA II National Tournament, March 6-10th, in Oklahoma City, OK.

Israel Galloway and Brown both finished with 14 points apiece for the Fire. Kathleen's Thomas Williams finished with 12 points and seven assists for SEU.

Wesley College (24-11) will receive an automatic bid into the national tournament and could possibly be the No.1 seed overall.

The national tournament rankings are expected to come out this Sunday.

Fire Advances To South Region Championship Game
(02-23-07)

TOCCOA FALLS, GA--No. 1 ranked Southeastern University advanced to the NCCAA II South Region Championship game with a 77-68 victory over rival Clearwater Christian College, Friday night.

The Fire has owned the series with Clearwater Christian over the past four seasons, winning 11 straight games versus the Cougars heading into Friday night's game.

Southeastern has also owned the South Region of late, winning five of the past six South Region Championships.

But, the Cougars came out strong again against SEU and controlled most of the first half until SEU looked to junior guard Danny Rohrdanz off the bench. Rohrdanz gave SEU some much needed outside shooting, hitting two three-point field goals before the end of the half to give SEU a 34-33 halftime lead.

More importantly, Rohrdanz shooting opened up things inside for South Region Player of the Year, Isreal Galloway.

Galloway led the Fire with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and four blocked shots. David Gaulman added 12 points and seven rebounds.

Clearwater Christian used a 2-3 zone the entire game to try to slow down Southeastern's quick guards.

But it has been SEU's defense all season that has made the difference. The Fire lead the nation in defensive field goal percentage, but seemed to struggle against Clearwater Christian's Lonzo Saunders in the regular season. Saunders scored over 20 points in both regular season matchups with SEU, but the Fire held him scoreless Friday night.

The Fire bench came up big Friday night also, scoring 33 points combined.

Jordan McKenna finished with 11 points, Rohrdanz finished with nine, and forward Hussein Ali contributed eight points and four rebounds off the bench for the Fire.

Southeastern (23-11) will face the winner of Wesley College (Florence, MS) and Piedmont Baptist College (Winston-Salem, NC) on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

With a win Saturday, SEU would lockup a first-round bye in the NCCAA II National Tournament, and possibly earn the No.1 seed overall.

SEU won the NCCAA II National Tournament in 2005 when they were the No.1 seed. The NCCAA II National Tournament will take place March 6-10th, in Oklahoma City, OK.

The (Lakeland, Fla.) Ledger: Fire beats Trinity, advances to semifinals
(02-20-07)

LAKELAND--Playing their third game in four nights, Southeastern Fire coach John Dunlap wondered how his team would respond to playing Trinity College on Monday. (Click here for more.)

Fire Sweeps Season Series From Toccoa Falls College
(02-19-07)

TOCCOA FALLS, GA--No. 1-ranked Southeastern University clinched the No.1 seed in the upcoming South Region tournament with its 71-55 victory over Toccoa Falls College on Saturday.

Israel Galloway led the Fire with 12 points and 12 rebounds while David Gaulman added 13 points inside.

The Fire defense held TFC to just 29% shooting from the field for the game.

Southeastern is now 21-11 overall and 13-1 in the South Region.

SEU will host Trinity College on Monday night in the first round of the 2007 South Region tournament. The South Region semifinals will be held in Toccoa Falls, Georgia, next weekend.

SEU Defeats Piedmont Baptist College, 81-74
(02-16-07)

WINSTON-SALEM, NC--The Southeastern University men's basketball team defeated Piedmont Baptist College, 81-74, Friday night, putting them one victory away from clinching the No.1 seed in the upcoming South Region Tournament.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway led the Fire with 22 points on the night while Thomas Williams added 15 points for the Fire.

Southeastern has been ranked No.1 in the nation for NCCAA II schools for the past three weeks and improves to 20-11 on the year and 12-1 in the South Region.

The Fire will play at Toccoa Falls College on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

Fire Sets New School Record With 140 Points in Win Over FCC
(02-14-07)

LAKELAND--No.1 ranked Southeastern University pounded Florida Christian College, 140-68, Tuesday night in SEU's final home game of the season.

Kiel Walker scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Fire while David Gualman added 20 points and seven rebounds.

Thirteen Fire players scored in the game with nine of those players scoring in double digits; SEU set a new single game scoring record with 140 points.

Brad Augustine scored seven points and added 10 assists while Danny Rohrdanz scored 15 points off the bench.

Southeastern (19-11, 11-1) will finish up its regular season with two road games this weekend in North Carolina and Georgia.

If SEU can win its next two games, it will secure the No.1 seed in the upcoming South Region tournament, February 23-24 in Toccoa Falls, Georgia.

Galloway surpasses 1,000-point mark in SEU win
(02-06-07)

LAKELAND--No. 1-ranked Southeastern University jumped out to a 52-33 halftime lead and never looked back as the Fire defeated Trinity College (New Port Richey, Fla.), 108-76, Tuesday night, sweeping the season series.

SEU's Israel Galloway scored 15 points on the night and surpassed 1,000 points for his career at SEU. Galloway, who is a junior, is already the Fire's all-time leader in blocked shots and has led the nation in this statistic for two seasons.

Jordan McKenna led the Fire with 18 points on a career-high six three-point field goals.

Hussein Ali added seven points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Thirteen Fire players scored and no Fire player played over 20 minutes for the game.

Southeastern improves to 17-10 overall and 9-1 in the South Region. The Fire will head to Atlanta, Georgia, this weekend for two South Region games.

Fire Wins Late Behind McKenna Again
(02-05-07)

LAKELAND--For the second time in one week, Jordan McKenna hit a late, three-point field goal to lift Southeastern University to a victory over a South Region foe, this time giving SEU a 59-56 win over Atlanta Christian College on Saturday.

Southeastern trailed ACC, 50-40, with 6:25 remaining in the game. SEU finished out the game on a 19-6 run and improves to 16-10 on the year and 8-1 in the South Region.

With SEU trailing, 56-54, McKenna got a look from three-point land and converted with just 1:07 remaining in the game, giving the Fire its first lead of the second half.

McKenna hit a three-point field goal with three seconds left this past Tuesday night to give SEU a win over Clearwater Christian College.

Senior Matt Powell iced the game at the free-throw line, and the Fire defense held off ACC in the finals seconds with the Chargers as they tried to force overtime.

Southeastern is ranked No.1 in the country for NCCAA II schools and will host Trinity College on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.

Israel Galloway scored eight points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and blocked five shots while Sterling Brown and Kiel Walker both added 11 points for the Fire.

Fire Ranked No. 1, Again!
(01-31-07)

LAKELAND--Fresh off its 71-70 victory over Clearwater Christian College, Tuesday night, the Southeastern University men's basketball team got even better news Wednesday morning when the team found itself ranked No.1 in the country in the latest NCCAA II poll.

The NCCAA II poll consists of eight votes from eight different regional chairs from around the country. The Fire received three first-place votes while Wesley College (Florence, Miss.) and Cincinnati Christian University (Cincinnati, Ohio) both received two first place votes. Kentucky Christian University (Grayson, Ky.) received the other first place vote.

SEU is currently 14-10 on the year and 7-1 in the South Region overall. The Fire has key wins over two top-10 teams: Wesley College and Valley Forge Christian College (Phoenixville, Pa.) . However, SEU's most impressive victory of the year is its 71-61 win over NAIA Warner Southern College (Lake Wales, Fla.). WSC is in first place atop the Florida Sun Conference standings.

This marks the third straight year that the Southeastern University men's basketball team has been ranked No. 1 in the country for at least one week.

Southeastern's next game will be Friday night when SEU takes on Carver Bible College for homecoming. Game time is 8:00 p.m.

McKenna Pushes SEU Past Clearwater Again, 71-70

CLEARWATER--Jordan McKenna's three-point basket with 3.7 seconds left gave Southeastern a 71-70 victory over Clearwater Christian College, Tuesday night, and handed CCC another heartbreaking loss in the final seconds.

The Fire, ranked No. 2 in the NCCAA, won its 11th straight over CCC and improved to 14-10 (6-1 in the South Region).

McKenna's basket gave Southeastern its first lead of the second half; SEU trailed by more than 10 points with just six minutes remaining.

Sterling Brown got the Fire back into the game, scoring 14 of his 16 points in the second half, including four 3-pointers.

Israel Galloway scored a team-leading 17 points for the Fire.

During SEU's 11-game win streak over CCC, three of those games have come on game-winning shots in the final seconds after CCC surrendered a commanding lead.

In the 2005 South Region championship game, CCC led SEU by 20 points with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game. SEU stormed back, and Joey Gunter made a jumper in the lane at the buzzer, giving SEU an 84-82 victory over CCC.

Last year in Lakeland, CCC let another huge second half lead slip away in the final moments; Anthony Tuner hit a 15-foot jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining to give SEU a 65-63 victory over the Cougars.

Southeastern next will host Carver Bible College for homecoming Friday night at 8 p.m.

Fire Runs Past Trinity College, 91-54
(01-23-07)

LAKELAND--Southeastern University cruised to a 91-54 victory over Trinity College (Trinity, Fla.) Tuesday night, pushing its current win streak to a season-high five straight games.

Israel Galloway led the Fire for the third straight game in scoring. Galloway scored 18 points and grabbed five rebounds. David Gaulman added 15 points and seven rebounds while Kiel Walker added 12 points and five rebounds off the bench.

Thomas Williams scored 10 points and dished out four assists while Brent Dillard had 11 points off the bench, connecting on three three-point field goals.

The game was never in question as every SEU player saw significant playing minutes, and 12 different SEU players scored in the game.

Southeastern (13-9, 6-1) led 43-25 at halftime and forced 27 turnovers on the night.

The Fire will travel to Temple Terrace on Friday night to play Florida College at 7:00 p.m. SEU defeated Florida College earlier in the year 90-81.

Galloway, Fire Continue To Dominate in 94-57 Win
(01-22-07)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University Fire came out hot versus Toccoa Falls College on Saturday, winning easily, 94-57, behind Israel Galloway's 17 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.

Galloway has been playing as well as he ever has since coming to SEU, and that is saying a lot, for Galloway was a key member of SEU's national championship team in 2005.

"Honestly, it is the guards," said Galloway. "They got that confidence in me right now, and it has been working for us."

Galloway scored 30 points, Thursday night, versus No.1 Wesley College, and his dominating presence inside is one of the reasons why SEU has won eight of its last 10 games.

"We are better defensively than that team (national champion), a lot better," added Galloway.

Galloway once again leads the nation in blocked shots, something he has done every year since coming to Southeastern in the fall of 2004.

He is Southeastern's all-time leader in blocked shots, setting that mark as a sophomore.

Kiel Walker also had a nice game with 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Kathleen Senior High School alumnus (Lakeland, Fla.) Thomas Williams, SEU's leading scorer, added 15 points while Hussein Ali contributed 12 points off the bench for the Fire.

Southeastern Head Coach John Dunlap played all of his players, and no SEU player played over 20 minutes in the game, as the Fire improved to 12-9 overall and 5-1 in the South Region.

The Fire defense held TFC to just 24% shooting for the game and outrebounded the smaller Toccoa Falls squad, 61-30, for the game.

SEU will next play Tuesday night at home versus Trinity College (New Port Richey, Fla.). Game time is 7:00 p.m.

Fire Defeats No.1 Wesley College, 83-76
(01-18-07)

LAKELAND--Lakeland's Israel Galloway scored 20 second half points to help lead Southeastern University to an 83-76 victory over No. 1-ranked Wesley College (Florence, Miss.), Thursday night.

Galloway finished the night with 30 points on 13-of-17 shooting with 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.

Southeastern led 39-30 at halftime, but Wesley started off the second half on a 9-0 run to tie the game 39-39.

Wesley's tough man-to-man defense forced 31 Southeastern turnovers, but SEU managed to shoot 56% from the floor for the game and improves to 11-9 on the season.

But the Fire just would not be denied. SEU opened up a 66-60 lead with just under five minutes remaining and never looked back, making some key free throws down the stretch.

Thursday night's victory avenged a 75-72 loss to Wesley College in November.

In the latest NCCAA II polls, Wesley College was ranked No.1 nationally, and SEU was ranked No.3 nationally.

Jordan McKenna scored 17 points off the bench while Thomas Williams pitched in with 15 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

Southeastern will host Toccoa Falls College on Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

Fire Rallies To Defeat Pensacola Christian, 59-53
(01-17-07)

LAKELAND--After trailing at halftime, 31-24, Southeastern University turned up its defensive intensity in the second half to defeat Pensacola Christian College, 59-53, in overtime, Tuesday night.

SEU led, 51-49, in the final moments, and Pensacola Christian's Micah Bowman grabbed a loose ball of a missed shot and tied the game, 51-51, at the buzzer, forcing overtime.

The Fire then outscored the Eagles, 8-2, in overtime improving to 10-9 on the season.

SEU held the Eagles to 23% shooting in the second half and avenged an 82-63 loss to Pensacola Christian College on November 11 in Pensacola.

Thomas Williams, David Gaulman, and Sterling Brown all scored 10 points apiece for the Fire, which will host Wesley College on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.

Israel Galloway added nine points, five rebounds, and six blocks.

Fire Ends AG Tournament With 74-56 Win Over CBC
(01-13-07)

LAKELAND--After falling to North Central University on Friday night, the Southeastern University men's basketball team rebounded Saturday night with a 74-56 victory over Central Bible College in the final day of the 2007 Assemblies of God tournament.

SEU jumped out early on CBC with tough man-to-man defense, holding the Spartans to just 1-of-13 shooting from three-point land and just 20% shooting from the field in the first half.

The Fire took a 43-17 lead into halftime as SEU got great looks in its offensive sets and shot 57% from the floor in the first half.

The Polk County connection of Israel Galloway and Thomas Williams once again led the Fire.

Galloway, a Lakeland Senior High School graduate, scored a team-high 19 points while grabbing six rebounds and made this year's all-tournament team.

Williams, a Kathleen Senior High School alumnus, added 17 points and four rebounds. Williams also was named to this year's all-tournament team.

The Fire avenged an 86-71 loss to CBC in last year's consolation game of the NCCAA II national tournament.

Southeastern and North Central University both went 2-1 in the round robin tournament, but NCU was crowned tournament champion for having beaten Southeastern head-to-head.

Southeastern (9-9) will host Pensacola Christian College on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m.

North Central Cools Off Fire, 70-67
(01-12-07)

LAKELAND--Coming off an electric victory Thursday night, the Southeastern University men's basketball team played just the opposite Friday night and lost to North Central University, 70-67, in the second day of the Assemblies of God tournament hosted by Southeastern University.

David Gaulman had a chance to tie the game on a desperation three-point shot at the buzzer from nearly half court. But the shot hit the side of the rim and North Central escaped with a hard-fought victory, its first victory against SEU since 2004.

North Central (Minneapolis, Minn.) outscored SEU, 43-35, in the second half and forced 24 Fire turnovers for the game.

The Fire also were unable to capitalize at the free-throw line down the stretch and fell to 1-1 in the AG tournament.

Southeastern was led by Thomas Williams' 14 points and seven rebounds while Jordan McKenna added 13 points off the bench for SEU.

North Central had four players in double figures and were led by Ryan Leak's 17 points and three steals.

North Central improved to 1-1 in the round robin tournament and will play Valley Forge Christian College on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

Southeastern (8-9) will play Central Bible College on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. With a victory, Southeastern can force a three-way tie for the AG tournament championship.

SEU Defeats Valley Forge, 82-65
(01-11-07)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern men's basketball team jumped out early on Valley Forge Christian College, Thursday night, and never looked back as SEU defeated VFCC, 82-65, in the first day of the annual Assemblies of God basketball tournament.

Kathleen Senior High School (Lakeland, Fla.) graduate Thomas Williams led the Fire with 15 points and four rebounds as SEU built a 40-18 halftime lead.

Eleven different Southeastern players scored in the game as SEU improves to 8-8 on the season.

The Fire defense controlled the game, holding VFCC to just 16% shooting in the first half and 22% shooting for the game.

Sterling Brown added 12 points and three assists while Lakeland's Israel Galloway scored eight points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and added four blocks.

Southeastern will play North Central University on Friday at 8:00 p.m. North Central fell to Central Bible College, 84-83 on T.J. Blakeney's desperation three-pointer at the buzzer.

Southeastern won its last appearance in the AG tournament back in 2005.

Fire Falls To University of Tampa Late, 64-50
(12-19-06)

TAMPA--The Southeastern University men's basketball team gave NCAA II University of Tampa everything it had and more Monday night, almost pulling off the biggest victory in school history.

But in the end SEU had no answer for Tampa forward Jeremy Black, who finished the game with 17 points, 18 rebounds, and eight blocks. Southeastern fell to Tampa, 64-50.

Southeastern (7-8) trailed only 30-29 at halftime, thanks mostly to its tough defense that held UT to just 34% shooting in the first half.

Thomas Williams led the Fire in the first half with nine points and three assists.

Tampa would then outscore SEU, 34-21, in the second half. The Fire had its chances in the second half and could not capitilize.

SEU had Tampa's lead cut to eight points with just under five minutes to play, but the Tampa defense got stronger as the game went on. The Spartans held the Fire to just 29% shooting in the second half.

Isreal Galloway led the Fire with 10 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocked shots.

Southeastern will not play again until it hosts the 2007 Annual Assemblies of God Tournament, January 11-13. Southeastern did not participate in the tournament last year, but in 2005 SEU won the AG Tournament and eventually went on to win the national championship.

Fire Gets Revenge, Beats Warner Southern, 71-61
(12-11-06)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team went a perfect 2-0 in the 2006 Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament as it defeated Warner Southern College, 71-61, Saturday afternoon and avenged its loss to the Royals, Monday night in Lake Wales.

SEU defeated NAIA Johnson & Wales, 73-59, Friday night and is a perfect 4-0 in the Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament since it was started in 2005.

Southeastern (6-7) was led by two Lakeland products, Thomas Williams and Israel Galloway. Williams, a former Kathleen Senior High School standout, scored 14 points and dished out four assists. Galloway, a Lakeland Senior High School graduate, added 12 points and five blocks.

The Fire's strong, man-to-man defense forced 20 Warner Southern turnovers and held the Royals to just 37% shooting for the game. SEU was hot from the field in the second half, shooting 56% and finishing the night shooting 44% from the floor.

Warner Southern had two scorers in double digits; Brandon Hamilton had 12 points and six rebounds while Errol Porteous contributed 10 points and eight rebounds.

The Fire is a perfect 5-0 on the season at home this year and is riding an 11-game win streak at home that dates back to last season.

Southeastern will host NCAA III Knox College (Galesburg, Illinois) Monday at 4:00 p.m.

SEU Get Big Win Over Johnson & Wales, 73-59

LAKELAND--Coming into the 2006 Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament, the Southeastern men's basketball team was just 4-7.

Sure, five of SEU's seven losses had been to NAIA and NCAA I and II schools, but SEU knew it could play better. The Fire was in desperate need of a victory on Friday night when it took on NAIA Johnson & Wales University.

The Fire answered the call and had one of its strongest defensive showings of the year; SEU defeated Johnson & Wales University, 73-59, in a game that sophomore forward Thomas Williams called "a must-win game."

The Fire (5-7) held the Wildcats to just 24% shooting in the second half and 28% shooting for the game as it defeated Johnson & Wales for the fifth straight time in the series.

Southeastern meanwhile shot 54% in the second half and 48% from the floor for the game. However, 29 Fire turnovers kept the Wildcats in the game throughout.

Southeastern's David Gaulman scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Lakeland's Israel Galloway added 14 points, seven rebounds, and six blocks on the night.

The Fire took a 34-26 halftime lead into the locker room and used hard-nosed defense in the second half to hold off a charge by the Wildcats.

Williams added 14 points as he went 10-for-12 from the free-throw line for Southeastern. Senior Matt Powell chipped in with six points and five assists.

Southeastern will face NAIA Warner Southern on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. The Royals defeated SEU, 77-68, this past Monday in Lake Wales.

Royals Hand Fire Loss
(12-05-06)

LAKE WALES--Warner Southern jumped out to a 48-36 halftime lead over Southeastern University and then held off the Fire late in the second half to earn a 77-68 victory over SEU.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway led all scorers with 15 points and four blocks. Another Lakeland product, Thomas Williams, added 13 points while David Gaulman also scored 13 points for the Fire.

The Royals had four players in double digits. Alex Castillo and Errol Porteous both had 13 points for the Royals while Preston Adams and Maurice Johnson both chipped in with 12 points apiece.

The Fire outscored Warner Southern 32-29 in the second half but had 24 costly turnovers, which caused the Fire to trail by double digits for most of the second half.

Southeastern (4-7) will host the 2006 Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament this upcoming weekend and will play Warner Southern again on Friday at 8:00 p.m.

Fire Tops 100 Mark In Win Over Clearwater Christian
(12-01-06)

LAKELAND--Southeastern University went on a late second half run to defeat Clearwater Christian College, 105-85, Thursday night for its 10th straight victory in the series.

Southeastern (4-6) led 45-37 at halftime, but Clearwater Christian came out strong to start the second half and had a four-point lead over the Fire with just seven minutes remaining in the game.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway got into foul trouble, but when he entered the game late in the second half he provided the offensive punch SEU needed to put the Cougars away.

Galloway scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while former Kathleen Senior High School (Lakeland, Fla.)standout Thomas Williams added 19 points with 15 points coming in the second half.

Junior Anthony Turner led all Fire scorers with 23 points and five rebounds.

Clearwater Christian was led by Haines City product Lonzo Sanders, who finished the game with 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Southeastern next will play Monday night against Warner Southern College at Lake Wales.

No. 5 Rollins College Defeats SEU, 87-62
(11-29-06)

WINTER PARK, FL--The Southeastern University men's basketball team is playing one of the strongest NCCAA II schedules in America, and the Fire had a tough opponent Tuesday night, in NCAA II Rollins College.

The Fire (3-6) fell to the Tars, 87-62, behind Jonny Reibel's 18-point night. Rollins is now 4-1 on the season and is currently ranked No. 5 in the latest NABC/Division II Coaches Poll.

Israel Galloway and Danny Rohrdanz led the Fire with 12 points apiece. Sterling Brown added 10 points and five assists off the bench. Thomas Williams pitched in with nine points and 11 rebounds.

SEU will end its tough non-region schedule momentarily by hosting Clearwater Christian College, Thursday night at 7:00 p.m.

After that it is back to non-region games for the Fire as SEU will travel to NAIA Warner Southern on Monday.

Southeastern also will host the 2006 Glen Karnes Memorial Tournament, December 8-9, and will play Warner Southern again and NAIA Johnson and Wales University.

SEU-Rollins Box

Fire Falls To St. Leo
(11-28-06)

DADE CITY, FL--The Southeastern University men's basketball team fell to NCAA II St. Leo University, Monday night, 84-55.

Sterling Brown led the Fire with 14 points while Thomas Williams added 10 points.

Last night's game marked the third straight game where SEU played a NCAA D-II or D-I opponent on the road. Before Thanksgiving break, Southeastern played NCAA I Savannah State University on Nov. 19 then traveled to play NCAA II Clayton State University on Nov. 21.

Southeastern will play NCAA II Rollins College, tonight, in Winter Park, Florida at 7:30 p.m.

SEU's next home game will be on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. when the Fire will play Clearwater Christian College.

Fire Pounds Piedmont Baptist, 99-51
(11-20-06)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team defeated Piedmont Baptist College, 99-51, Saturday afternoon to improve to 3-2 on the season.

Junior guard Anthony Turner scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Fire. David Gaulman added 14 points and four rebounds.

Lakeland's Thomas Williams chipped in with 12 points while Lakeland's Israel Galloway contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks.

Southeastern outscored Piedmont Baptist, 44-26, in the first half and held the Conquerors to just 29% shooting for the game.

SEU will next play at Savannah State University on Sunday.

Fire Wins Season Opener, 90-81
(11-08-06)

LAKELAND--The Southeastern University men's basketball team opened its season up with a 90-81 victory over Florida College, Tuesday night.

Southeastern shot 54% from the floor on the night and opened up a 53-40 halftime lead.

Kathleen Senor High School (Lakeland, Fla.) grad Thomas Williams led the Fire with 22 points and four rebounds while Lakeland Senior High School grad Israel Galloway added 13 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks.

Sterling Brown and Brent Dillard both added 11 points apiece off the bench, and Jordan McKenna pitched in with 10 points and three assists.

Southeastern (1-0) has won four straight games in the series versus Florida College and will travel to Florence, Mississippi to play Wesley College, Friday night. The Fire will cap its two-game road trip off by playing Pensacola Christian on Saturday night.

Gunter Signs With Pro Basketball Team
(07-05-06)

LAKELAND--Southeastern University alumnus Joey Gunter, who was the starting point guard for the Fire from 2004 to 2006, signed with the Palm Beach Imperials of the American Basketball Association this past April.

Gunter was a two-year starter for Southeastern and helped lead the Fire to its first NCCAA II National Championship in 2005 where he scored 22 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and dished out eight assists in the national championship game.

He averaged 10.8 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game for Southeastern in 61 games from 2004 to 2006.

Fire Ends Season With Loss To Central Bible College
(03-11-06)

OKLAHOMA CITY--Southeastern University ended its 2006 season by losing to Central Bible College, 86-71, Saturday in the third place game of the NCCAA II National Tournament.

Central Bible College led Southeastern, 38-26, at halftime as the Spratans shot 47 percent from the floor in the first half.

The Fire struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 33 percent, but Danny Rohrdanz's 10 points off the bench kept the Fire in the game.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and four blocks.

Southeastern fell behind even further in the second half as Central Bible went on a 13-3 run to start the second half and had the lead as big as 24 points at one time.

Galloway and sophomore Ben Brown got the Fire back into the game getting the score to 79-70 with just 49 seconds left. But the Fire could not cut into the lead any further, and CBC sealed the game off with free throws down the stretch.

CBC's John Wall had a huge game for the Spartans, finishing the night with 27 points and 12 rebounds. Will Kitchens finished with 25 points and seven assists.

Rohrdanz finished with 13 points, and Brown finished with 12 points on the night for SEU.

Southeastern finishes the year with a 22-13 record and No. 4 ranking in the country.

Baptist Bible Ends Southeastern's Dream of Second National Championship
(03-10-06)

OKLAHOMA CITY--Southeastern's dream of winning back-to-back NCCAA II National Championships are now over as No. 1 seed Baptist Bible (Pa.) defeated Southeastern, 69-68, Friday night in the semifinals of the NCCAA II National Tournament.

The Fire had a chance to tie the game with five seconds remaining in regulation when Joey Gunter was fouled on a three-point attempt with the Fire trailing 69-66. Gunter missed the first two free throws. Southeastern tried a desperation three-pointer and came up short with Gunter tipping in the rebound. The game ended 69-68.

Lakeland's Israel Galloway had another huge game for the Fire, finishing with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and nine blocked shots. Galloway is averaging 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 7.5 blocks for the national tournament.

Galloway had a big first half, which helped Southeastern take a 29-27 halftime lead into the locker room.

Galloway scored 12 of Southeastern's first 15 points and finished the first half with 12 points, five rebounds, and five blocks.

Southeastern (22-12) had a 12-point lead at one time in the first half, but No. 1 seed Baptist Bible clawed back into the game going on a 13-4 run to end the first half.

The Fire held Baptist Bible to just 1-of-8 shooting from three-point land in the first half, but that changed in the second half as the Defenders heated up from outside. Baptist Bible went 4-for-6 in the second half as Korey Collins hit three three-point field goals and helped Baptist Bible take control in the second half.

The game had 17 ties or lead changes in the second half with Baptist Bible taking a 65-60 lead with just under two minutes remaining.

With the Defenders leading, 67-63, Kyle Mitchell hit a huge three-pointer, making the game 67-66 with 26 seconds remaining in the game.

The Defenders hit some big free throws down the stretch and advanced to the NCCAA II National Championship game. They will face the winner of No. 3 seed Central Bible College (Mo.) and Grace Bible College (Mich.) today at 8:00 p.m.

Mitchell finished the game with 11 points, all coming in the second half. Matt Powell scored 12 points off the bench for the Fire while Ben Brown added 12 points and six rebounds.

Wes Uffleman led Baptist Bible with 17 points, but it was Jake Myers who scored 10 points off the bench for the Defenders that was essential with starting center Jon Konzelman on the bench with foul trouble.

Gunter finished his career at Southeastern with 10 points and three assists.

Southeastern will face the loser of Central Bible and Grace Bible at 6:00 p.m. today for third place in the tournament.

Fire Advances to NCCAA II Final Four
(03-09-06)

OKLAHOMA CITY--The motto for the Southeastern University men's basketball team in this year's NCCAA II National
Tournament is "survive and move on." And that is exactly what the Fire did Thursday afternoon by holding off No. 5 seed Johnson Bible College, 58-55, sending Southeastern back to the NCCAA II Final Four.

Johnson Bible (Tenn.) defeated Southwestern College (Ariz.) Tuesday night, 86-74, setting up a matchup with Southeastern, which earned a first-round bye in the national tournament by winning its South Region Tournament.

The Fire came out strong early, starting the game off on a 17-7 run. Ben Brown scored 13 first half points for the Fire, but Johnson Bible came right back, mainly due to its strong inside play by junior center Thomas Paukovitz.

Paukovitz scored 11 first half points and helped Johnson Bible get into the locker room trailing Southeastern just 35-33 at the half.

In the second half, Lakeland graduate Israel Galloway began to take the game over. Galloway grabbed seven rebounds and blocked six shots in the second half, helping Southeastern keep Paukovitz scoreless in the second half. Galloway finished the game with seven points, 11 rebounds, and nine blocks.

Southeastern (22-11) found itself trailing 41-37 in the second half but managed to take over from there, going on a 9-0 run in the middle of the second half sparked by tough man-to-man and zone defense.

Southeastern held Johnson Bible to just 28 percent shooting in the second half and 32 percent shooting for the game.

But the Fire could never manage to put Johnson Bible away, especially with careless turnovers late in the game.

With just 18 seconds left in the game, Johnson Bible had a chance to win, trailing 56-55 with the ball.

Johnson Bible got the ball inside to Justine Hayse and had a good look at the win, but Galloway blocked the shot back to mid-court. Southeastern's Anthony Turner iced the game with a pair of free throws, keeping the Fire's hope alive for back-to-back national titles.

Brown finished the night with 17 points while Kyle Mitchell added 11 points for the Fire.

Southeastern will play No. 1 Baptist Bible at 6:00 p.m. today. The Fire is just one win away from playing in the NCCAA II National Championship game for the second straight year.

Southeastern won the 2005 NCCAA II National Championship, defeating North Central Univesity, 106-99, in Springfield, Mo.

The Fire earns No. 4 seed at the NCCAA II Nationals
(02-27-06)

Southeastern University men's basketball (20-11, 15-2) team earned the No. 4 seed at the NCCAA II National Tournament, scheduled for March 7 to 11 on the campus of Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City, Okla.

The Fire will play its first game at 4:00 p.m. CT (5:00 p.m. ET) on Thursday March 9 vs. the winner of No. 5 Johnson Bible College/No. 12 Southwest College. The Johnson Bible-Southwest matchup will take place on Tuesday, March 7 at 8 p.m. CT (9:00 p.m. ET).

Baptist Bible was selected as the top seed after winning the East Region Championship and finishing with a 22-5 record. The second seed was awarded to tournament host Mid-America Christian University, the Southwest Region Champion and winner of the 2004 NCCAA II National Championship. Central Bible College earned the third seed after defeating St. Louis Christian College for the Central Region Championship.

For additional information, please visit the Mid-America Christian University athletic Web site.

National Tournament Seeds
#1: Baptist Bible College (Pa.)
#2: Mid-America Christian University
#3: Central Bible College
#4: Southeastern University
#5: Johnson Bible College
#6: Kentucky Christian University
#7: Grace Bible College
#8: Atlanta Christian College
#9: Trinity Bible College
#10: St. Louis Christian College
#11: Southwestern Christian University
#12: Southwest College (Ariz.)

South Region Final Four Set
(02-22-06)

LAKELAND--The 2006 South Region Final Four is now in place with No. 1 seed Southeastern University taking on Clearwater Christian, Friday night at 8:00 p.m.

This will mark the fifth straight year Southeastern and Clearwater will play in the South Region Tournament. Clearwater or Southeastern has won the past four South Region Tournament Championships. Southeastern has won three out of the past four meetings against Clearwater Christian in the South Region Tournament with South Region Championships in 2002, 2004, and 2005.

Clearwater Christian's last South Region title came in 2003, which also marked the last time Clearwater beat Southeastern. The Fire (19-11, 13-2) has won eight straight games against Clearwater, including two games this year. Southeastern won 76-58 at Clearwater and then beat the Cougars 65-63 on a game-winning shot by Anthony Turner.

Playing game one Friday night will be No. 3 seed Wesley College and No. 2 seed Atlanta Christian College. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Southeastern went 1-0 versus Wesley College but dropped two games to Atlanta Christian College this year.

The South Region Championship game will be played on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

SOUTH REGION TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
No. 3 Wesley College vs. No. 2 Atlanta Christian
No. 4 Clearwater Christian vs. No. 1 Southeastern University

Southeastern snags No. 1 seed in South Region tourney
(02-18-06)

TOCCOA FALLS, GA--Southeastern defeated Toccoa Falls College 78-61 Saturday after opening up a 48-33 halftime lead. The win gave the Fire the No. 1 seed in this week's upcoming South Region Tournament hosted by Southeastern University.

Ben Brown stayed hot, scoring 18 points while grabbing eight rebounds. Kyle Mitchell added 12 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Lakeland's Israel Galloway chipped in with 14 points and six rebounds.

Southeastern improves to 18-11 on the year and 13-2 in the South Region. The Fire's only two losses were at the hands of Atlanta Christian College, which earned the No. 2 seed in the South Region Tournament.

With the win, the Fire finished up its regular season by going 10-2 in its last 12 games.

The South Region Tournament will start on Tuesday, but since the Fire earned the No. 1 seed, no games will be played at Southeastern until Friday night. It is undetermined which team the Fire will play Friday night.

turner's game winner gives seu huge south region win
(02-14-06)

LAKELAND--For 38 minutes Tuesday night, Clearwater Christian dominated Southeastern University only to see its lead shrink in the final minutes. With 2.8 seconds left, Anthony Turner's 15-foot jump shot sealed the Cougars' fate.

Clearwater had a 10-point lead with four minutes remaining, but Southeastern beat the Cougars on the homestretch to win its eighth straight game against Clearwater, 65-63.

Ben Brown led the Fire with 27 points. Brown was the main reason Southeastern even had a shot in the game, for he made huge shots down the stretch for the Fire.

Clearwater Christian (12-13) connected on seven three-point field goals in the first half, giving it a 37-30 halftime lead.

Jeremy Ham led the Cougars with 19 points.

The Fire, however, stayed in the game throughout, and Clearwater collapsed again against Southeastern, running out of gas in the final minutes. Clearwater lost a tough game at the buzzer in last year's South Region Championship game after leading by 18 points with nine minutes remaining.

Brown hit a three-point shot with 58 seconds remaining, tying the game at 63-63. Then with five seconds left in the game, and with Southeastern having the ball under its own basket, Turner rubbed off a screen and hit the game-winning shot.

It was Southeastern's first lead in the second half.

Turner finished with 12 points while Israel Galloway scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked six shots.

Southeastern (18-11, 12-2) can clinch the No.1 seed in the upcoming South Region Tournament with a victory at Toccoa Falls College this Saturday.

fire beats piedmont baptist, 65-59
(02-13-06)

LAKELAND--Kyle Mitchell scored 21 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out seven assists, and added three steals as Southeastern University defeated Piedmont Baptist College, 65-59, Thursday night.

Israel Galloway scored 15 points, grabbed six rebounds, and blocked six shots. Anthony Turner added 10 points for the Fire.

Southeastern led just 37-35 at halftime but used a pressure defense to hold Piedmont Baptist to just 17.1% from the floor in the second half.

Southeastern is now 16-11 on the year and will host Toccoa Falls College tomorrow night.

fire sweeps season series from toccoa falls
(02-10-06)

LAKELAND--Southeastern got big games from Kyle Mitchell, Ben Brown and Anthony Turner as Southeastern defeated Toccoa Falls, Friday night, 69-60.

Mitchell scored 16 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out seven assists, and added four steals. Brown added 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists while Turner finished with 16 points and six rebounds.

Southeastern improves to 17-11 on the year and held Toccoa Falls College to just 29% shooting from the floor on the night.

Israel Galloway added nine points, nine rebounds, and six blocks.

Southeastern will host Clearwater Christian College on Tuesday night. Game time is at 7 p.m.

fire pounds carver on homecoming night
(02-03-06)

LAKELAND--Southeastern used a balanced offensive attack to handle Carver Bible College, 77-53, Friday on Homecoming night at Southeastern University.

The Fire was led by Anthony Tuner's 13 points and six rebounds and Ben Brown's 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Lakeland's Isreal Galloway had eight points, seven rebounds and six blocks in the first half. He left early in the second half with an injury.

Fourteen of the 15 players on Southeastern's roster scored in the contest as Southeastern swept Carver on the year.

Chris Molitor pitched in four points, six rebounds, and two assists while Matt Powell scored four points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out four assists on the night for the Fire.

Southeastern plays Atlanta Christian College today at 3 p.m. Atlanta Christian defeated Southeastern two weeks ago in Atlanta to snap Southeastern's 40-game winning streak in the region.