DEFENDING CHAMPION SU JAGUARS MEN'S HOOPSTERS READY TO OPEN SEASON WITH EXHIBITION VERSUS SUNO :: Southern looks to fine tune before taking to the road to face tough SEC power, Georgia in season opener Firday night.

Southern looks to fine tune before taking to the road to face tough SEC power, Georgia in season opener Firday night.

Nov. 6, 2006

The defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champion, Southern Jaguars, will host Southern University of New Orleans in a men's basketball exhibition game at 7 p.m. Monday night in the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Southern is coming off of a magical season that saw first year coach, Rob Spivery, take the Jaguars all the way to the pinnacle of the SWAC, winning both the regular season and 0tournament. The Jags went on the play duke in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, SU's first since 1993.

Southern returns two starters off of last season's 19-13 team, including preseason second team all-SWAC forward, Deforrest Riley-Smith. Smith averaged 11.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 2005-06. He was also the Jaguars most deadly three point shooter, shooting 41% from behind the arc.

Point guard Steffon Wiley also returns to lead the Jaguars on the floor. Wiley averaged 4.2 points and 1.7 rebounds,a nd also had 31 steal and 36 assists, as the Jags defensive stopper.