CAJUNS DROP HEART-BREAKER AT UNO?Feb
2/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CAJUNS DROP HEART-BREAKER AT UNO
Feb. 4, 2002
?NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun basketball team was held to just six points in the last 10 minutes, and New Orleans' A.J. Meredith made a layup with four seconds left to lift the host-Privateers to a 63-61 Sun Belt Conference win Monday night at Lakefront Arena.
?UNO junior forward Hector Romero scored a game-high 23 points, including 16 in the first half, while Meredith provided all of his 13 points in the second half as the Privateers (10-13, 4-6 SBC West) snapped a six-game losing skid against the Cajuns (12-8, 6-3 SBC West).
?Junior guard
Anthony Johnson, who scored 21 points for the second consecutive night, paced the Cajuns. The Chicago native had 16 in the second half, but it was his possible 18th that could have sent the game to overtime.
?After Meredith's layup, the Cajuns had to go the entire length of the court, and Johnson got past the defense and slammed it home. The referees, though, determined the basket came after the red light flashed to help UNO snap a two-game skid.
?The Cajuns got 13 points, seven rebounds and five rebounds from freshman center
Michael Southall. But the freshman was in constant foul trouble and actually fouled out on a controversial blocking foul with just under seven minutes to play.
?Losing Southall forced the Cajuns to move to the perimeter, and the team had a hard time – scoring just four points the rest of the way.
?Louisiana-Lafayette did not trail in the first half after falling behind early 2-1. The Cajuns led by as many as eight thanks to a big half from reserve guard
Robert Jupiter. The Baton Rouge junior had 11 points in the frame – including three treys.
?UNO closed the gap to four at the half, but the Cajuns got off to a strong start in the final half. The visitors led by as many as 12 with 14 minutes left. The Privateers, though, thanks largely to Southall's foul trouble went on an 18-6 run over the next six minutes to tie it up.
?The game see-sawed during the next few minutes and was still tied at 61-61 with 3:38 to play. Neither team, though, managed a field goal until Meredith's late heroics. The Cajuns were held without a field goal during the final 7:33 of the game.
?UNO was 24-of-36 from the free throw line, while the Cajuns were just 9-for-11.
UNO 63, Louisiana-Lafayette 61
?LA.-LAFAYETTE (12-8, 6-3 SBC WEST) – Boyd 3-9 0-0 6, Robins 0-4 0-0 0, Johnson 6-13 7-8 21, Southall 6-8 1-1 13, Washington 2-4 0-0 4, Landry 1-3 0-0 3, Lawrence 0-1 0-0 0, Bridges 0-0 0-0 0, Jupiter 4-12 0-0 11, Whiting 0-4 0-0 0, Kandji 1-3 1-2 3. Totals 23-61 9-11 61.
?UNO (10-13, 4-6 SBC WEST) – Romero 6-17 10-13 23, Lisauskas 0-0 5-6 5, Meredith 4-11 3-6 13, Martin 3-7 2-2 8, Buggs 1-4 0-0 2, Lauga 0-1 0-0 0, Brown 2-6 2-7 6, Sanders 2-8 2-2 6. Totals 18-54 24-36 63.
?Half – La.-Lafayette 31, UNO 27. 3-point field goals – La.-Lafayette 6-19 (Boyd 0-6, Johnson 2-4, Landry 1-2, Jupiter 3-7), UNO 3-13 (Romero 1-3, Meredith 2-7, Buggs 0-1, Lauga 0-1, Sanders 0-1). Fouled out – Southall. Rebounds – La.-Lafayette 38 (Johnson 9), UNO 45 (Martin 11). Assists – La.-Lafayette 14 (Boyd 6), UNO 7 (Three with two). Total fouls – La.-Lafayette 25, UNO 17. A – 723.
