University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Cajuns at Xavier Pre-Game Notes
12/18/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Cajuns at
Xavier Pre-Game Notes
Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003
Game Information
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2003
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Time: 1 p.m. (CT)
Arena: Cintas Center (10,250)
The Teams: Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (3-2,
0-0 Sun Belt), Xavier Musketeers (4-3, 0-0 A-10)
The Coaches: Louisiana-Lafayette - Jessie Evans
(115-74, 7th season at UL Lafayette and overall); Xavier -
Thad Matta (56-15, 3rd season at Xavier;
80-23, 4th season overall)
TV: Fox Sports Net Ohio (Brad Johansen, play-by-play;
Steve Wolf, color)
Radio: SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM and 107.9 KRKA-FM (live
Internet streaming available at
www.ragincajuns.com
and www.weareradio.com)
- Jay Walker play-by-play. Pre-game show begins 30 minutes
prior to tip-off.
The Series: First Meeting
Cajuns Most Recently: Defeated Mobile 110-65
(12/17/03)
Xavier Most Recently: Lost to Mississippi State 70-82 (12/13/03)
Updated stats for Xavier available at:
http://athletics.xu.edu/mbasketball/03_04stats/TEAMCUME.htm
Cajuns Go after First Road Win Saturday
at Xavier
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team (3-2) closes out a busy week and begins a three-game road swing Saturday in a 1 p.m. (CT) game against host-Xavier (Ohio) in Cincinnati...Saturday's game will be the third in six days for the Cajuns who played home games on Monday and Wednesday before traveling to Cincinnati Friday afternoon...This weekend's trip marks UL Lafayette's second trip to Ohio in the past two weeks – the Cajuns played at Dayton on Tuesday, Dec. 9....The Ragin' Cajuns, currently on a two-game win streak, will attempt to extend that streak and make it a perfect 3-for-3 this week...Louisiana-Lafayette is winless on the road this season (0-2) and has lost its last four games away from the Cajundome dating back to last season...Xavier, coming off a four-game road trip, will be playing its first home game since Nov. 17...The Musketeers (4-3) have lost three of their last four since opening the season 3-0....XU is undefeated at the Cintas Center this season (3-0) and has won 10 straight overall and 12 straight non-conference games...Saturday's meeting is the first-ever between the two schools and a sellout crowd is expected.
The Site: Cintas Center (capacity: 10, 250)
The state-of-the-art $46 million facility opened for the 2000-01 season...Includes a 10,250-seat arena and practice facility for Xavier basketball...Cintas Center is named in honor of the generous personal support of executives of the Cicinnati-based uniform company - Robert J. Kohlhepp, Vice Chairman of Cintas, is a member of the Xavier Board of Trustees...Xavier has enjoyed a tremendous homecourt advantage over its three-plus seasons in the facility posting a 43-3 record heading into Saturday's game which includes an 18-1 mark against non-conference competition...Cincinnati is the only non-conference team to win at Cintas Center defeating XU 75-55 Dec. 14, 2001...UMass, Cincy and Richmond are the few to have escaped with a victory...XU has sold out 39 of its 46 games at the Cintas Center including all Atlantic 10 home games over the first three seasons...The Musketeers are 19-0 on Saturday's at Cintas Center.
The Series – First Meeting
Saturday's game will mark the first meeting all-time between UL Lafayette and Xavier (Ohio).
The Tentative Starters
Louisiana-Lafayette (2003-04 record:
3-2, 0-0 Sun Belt)
F- 45 Brian Hamilton (6-6, 186, Jr., Missouri City, Texas)
Season
Stats: 9.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, 53.3% FG, 63.2% FT, 18 off
rebs, 13 steals
C- 11 Chris Cameron (6-11, 256, So., Melbourne, Australia)
Season Stats: 9.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 37.0%
FG, 68.2% FT, 13 off rebs, 3 turnovers
G- 21 Laurie Bridges (6-4, 206, Sr., New Orleans, La.)
Season Stats: 13.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.6
apg, 40.0% FG, 84.0% FT, 23 assists, 10 steals
G- 3 Brad Boyd (6-6, 195, Sr., Opelousas, La.)
Season Stats: 16.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.8
apg, 41.3% FG, 42.0% 3FG, 77.8% FT, 19 assists
G- 4 Antoine Landry (5-11, 170, Sr., New Orleans, La.)
Season Stats: 11.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 38.9%
FG, 33.3% 3FG, 31.6 mpg
Xavier (Ohio) (2003-04 record: 4-3,
0-0 A-10)
F- 24 Anthony Myles (6-9, 245, Sr., Chicago, Ill.)
Season Stats: 6.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 42.2%
FG, 44.4% FT, 8/18 FT, 17 off rebs
C- 52 Will Caudle (6-9, 240, So., Indianapolis, Ind.)
Season Stats: 6.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 50.0%
FG, 66.7% FT, 16 off rebs
G- 10 Romain Sato (6-5, 205, Sr., Dayton, Ohio)
Season Stats: 13.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 37.3%
FG, 37.9% 3FG, 74.4% FT, 11 steals
G- 0 Lionel Chalmers (6-0, 180, Sr., Albany, N.Y.)
Season Stats: 13.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.1
apg, 36.6% FG, 29.5% 3FG, 73.7% FT
G- 12 Dedrick Finn (6-1, 180, So., Newburgh, Ind.)
Season
Stats: 10.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 44.8% FG, 40.0% 3FG,
62.5% FT, 2.1 a/to
The UL Lafayette Head Coach – Jessie Evans
Native of Lebanon, Tenn., and graduate of Eastern Michigan University…In his seventh year at Louisiana-Lafayette…115-74 in Cajun Country and overall…Led the Cajuns to a 20-10 record last season and their third postseason appearance in last four years with a berth in the 2003 NIT…His teams have collected 20 wins the past two seasons marking the first back-to-back 20-win campaigns since 1991-92/1992-93....Guided the Cajuns to a 25-9 record in 1999-00 and a berth in the NCAA Tournament…During each of his previous six seasons, has guided the Cajuns to no worse than a No. 3 seed in the Sun Belt Tournament…Has appeared in the Sun Belt championship game three times out of six seasons…Has led UL Lafayette to 10-plus conference victories in five of six seasons and the last four…Served as an assistant coach at Arizona under the legendary Lute Olsen from 1988-97, winning a national championship in 1997…Was named to the UL Lafayette post on March 14, 1997, and had a national championship when he officially took over the Cajuns program in April 1997…Evans helped tutor a total of 14 Arizona players that have played in the NBA, including Mike Bibby of the Sacramento Kings.
Evans Year-By-Year
1997-98 – 18-13 (12-6 Sun
Belt)
1998-99 – 13-16 (7-7 Sun Belt)
1999-00 – 25-9 (13-3 Sun Belt) NCAA Tournament
2000-01 – 16-13 (10-6 Sun Belt)
2001-02 – 20-11 (11-4 Sun Belt) Owens Corning NIT
2002-03 – 20-10 (12-3 Sun Belt) Owens Corning NIT
2003-04 – 3-2 (0-0 Sun Belt)
Overall – 115-74 (65-29 Sun
Belt)
On the Air
Saturday afternoon's game against Xavier can be heard locally on the UL Lafayette Sports Radio Network through its flagship stations SportsRadio ESPN 1420 KPEL-AM and KRKA 107.9 FM in Lafayette. Nationwide, the game will be available via live Internet streaming at www.ragincajuns.com or www.weareradio.com. Jay Walker, in his 12th season covering the Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball program, will provide all of the play-by-play action live from the Cintas Cetner in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the Xavier Univeristy campus. The pre-game show begins 30 minutes prior to tip-off.
UL Lafayette Update
The Cajuns enter Saturday's game over the .500 mark for the first time this season at 3-2...Louisiana-Lafayette has won two straight and will be playing its third game in the last six days...UL Lafayette is winless on the road and undefated at home this season...The Cajuns scored a season-high 110 points against Mobile in its last outing on Wednesday...All five starters scored in double-figures and a total of seven scored at least 10 points...Laurie Bridges scored a season-high 21 points vs. Mobile...The Cajuns had 27 assists with four players tallying at least five...Brad Boyd leads the Cajuns averaging 16 points and has made a team-high 21 three-pointers...Brian Hamilton, coming off a season-high 11 rebounds, leads the squad with seven boards per game...Four players are averaging at least five rebounds per game (Laurie Bridges, Chris Cameron, Hamiton and Cedric Williams)...UL Lafayette sports a 1.1 assist/turnover ratio (79 assists, 69 turnovers)....The Cajuns have a +5.0 turnover margin....UL Lafayette has made 50 free throws in the last two games (27 vs. McNeese State, 23 vs. Mobile).
Xavier Update
The Musketeers have lost three of their last four games since opening the season 3-0...Xavier is playing its first home game since Nov. 17...XU is undefeated at home this season and has won 10 straight at the Cintas Center...Four starters from last season's 26-6, NCAA Second Round squad return...Romain Sato, a pre-season All-American, leads XU in scoring averaging 13.7 points per game...Lionel Chalmers is a close second at 13.6 ppg...Sato is also the Musketeer's leading rebounder at 6.3 rebounds a game...XU averages 67.9 points while holding its opponents to 62 points...Four of the Musketeers seven opponents this season have been held below 70 points including two held below 40...XU has limited its opponents to 29 percent shooting from three-point range...XU is coached by Thad Matta, who is 56-15 in his fourth season with Xaiver and 80-23 in his fifth season as a head coach overall.
Coaches vs. the Opposition
Louisiana-Lafayette head coach Jessie Evans meets Xavier for the first time in his career...Xavier head coach Thad Matta is meeting the Cajuns for the first time in his career.
Cajuns In December
Saturday's game with Xavier marks the fourth of six games in the month of December this season - the Cajuns are 2-1 so far...UL Lafayette is 24-24 in December under Jessie Evans...UL Lafayette will play four of the six games away from the Cajundome visiting Xavier Dec. 20 and playing two games at the Fiesta Bowl Classic in Tucson, Ariz., Dec. 28 and 30, in addition to last Tuesday's game at Dayton...Home games were with McNeese State (Dec. 15) and Mobile (Dec. 17).
December Record Year-By-Year
Under Evans
1997-98 – 3-3 (3-2 home,
0-1 away/neutral)
1998-99 – 2-6 (1-0 home, 1-6 away/neutral)
1999-00 – 5-4 (2-1 home, 3-3 away/neutral)
2000-01 – 2-4 (0-0 home, 2-4 away/neutral)
2001-02 – 4-3 (3-0 home, 1-3 away/neutral)
2002-03 – 6-3 (3-0 home, 3-3 away/neutral)
2003-04 – 2-1 (2-0 home, 0-1 away/neutral)
Overall – 24-24 (14-3 home,
10-21 away/neutral)
Non-Conference Notes
The Cajuns are 42-37 in non-conference play (26-5 home, 16-32 away) under head coach Jessie Evans....UL Lafayette has had a winning non-conference record in each of the last two seasons marking the first back-to-back non-conference winning records since 1992-93/1993-94...In each season that the Cajuns have posted a winning non-conference record under Evans they have advanced to postseason play (2000 NCAA, 2002 NIT, 2003 NIT).
Regular Season Non-Conference
Year-By-Year Under Evans
1997-98 – 4-6 (3-2 home, 1-4
away
1998-99 – 6-8 (4-0 home, 2-8 away)
1999-00 – 9-5 (5-1 home, 4-4 away)
2000-01 – 5-6 (3-1 home, 2-5 away)
2001-02 – 7-5 (5-1 home, 2-4 away)
2002-03 – 8-5 (3-0 home, 5-5 away)
2003-04 – 3-2 (3-0 home, 0-2 away)
Overall – 42-37 (26-5 home,
16-32 away)
Last Time Out...Dec. 17, 2003 vs. Mobile
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team placed all five starters in double-figures scoring and all but one player who saw action scored at least two points in a 110-65 victory over the University of Mobile here Wednesday evening at the Cajundome in front of 3,308. Laurie Bridges tallied a game-high and season-high 21 points to lead Louisiana-Lafayette. Brad Boyd, Chris Cameron and Brian Hamilton each scored 14 points and Antoine Landry 11 to round out the starting five in double-digits. Dwayne Mitchell contributed 11 points off the bench as the Cajuns totaled six players in double-figures scoring. The Cajuns received a season-high 36 points from the bench. UL Lafayette (3-2) shot 58 percent from the floor (39-of-67) – the first time this season the team shot above 50 percent. The Cajuns made 21-of-33 shots (63 percent) in the second half. The Cajuns out-rebounded the Rams 46-27 including a 31-17 advantage on the defensive glass. Brian Hamilton grabbed a game-high 11 boards to complete his first double-double of the season. Louisiana-Lafayette made 23-of-29 free throws to just 5-of-13 from Mobile. Bridges made 10-of-11 free throws to set a new career personal best for free throws made. The visitors stayed within striking distance nearly midway through the second half thanks in part to shooting 50 percent in the opening half. However, UM shot just 32 percent (10-of-31) in the second stanza, which included a string of misses in an eight-plus minute scoreless drought, and the Cajuns were able to pull away and turn the game into a rout. With 12:17 left in the game, Seluynn Palmer knocked down a 22-foot jumper at the top of the key to cut the Rams deficit to 72-56. That would be the final basket for UM until the 3:54 mark. UL Lafayette then used a 29-0 run beginning with a Cedric Williams inside bucket at the 12:05 mark of the second half to break open the contest. A Mitchell alley-oop dunk with 4:33 left to play in the game put the exclamation point on the string of unanswered points and gave Louisiana-Lafayette a 101-56 lead.
On The Tube
Saturday's game against Xaiver will be aired live on Fox Sports Net Ohio...It will mark the Cajuns third appearance on television this season...The season opener at Georgia Tech was broadcast on ESPN and the Dayton game was carried by Time Warner Dayton...The Cajuns are 0-2 so far this season in games that are televised...UL Lafayette is guaranteed at least two more TV apperances this season, both on ESPN Regional: Jan. 24 at Florida International and Feb. 14 at New Orleans.
Road Trip Begins
Saturday's game at Xavier marks the beginning of a three-game road trip to end the month of December for Louisiana-Lafayette...Following the XU game, the Cajuns travel to Tucson, Ariz., for the Fiesta Bowl Classic for games on Dec. 28 and Dec. 30...UL Lafayette faces Valparaiso on Dec. 28 and either Arizona or Liberty on Dec. 30 to end the road swing.
We Meet Again
This is the Cajuns second game this season against a team from the Atlantic 10 Conference...UL Lafayette visited Dayton Dec. 9 falling 66-59 to the then-No. 25 Flyers...UL Lafayette is 4-4 all-time against Atlantic 10 Conference teams (2-1 vs. Dayton, 0-3 vs. UMass, 1-0 vs. Rhode Island, 1-0 vs. St. Joe's)...Xavier becomes the fifth different A-10 team the Cajuns face on the hardwood.
Cajuns In Ohio
The Cajuns are 2-5 all-time in games played in the state of Ohio with both wins coming at Dayton...More specifically, the last time the Cajuns played a game in Cincinnati was Dec. 12, 1998 at the Shoemaker Center against the University of Cincinnati (L, 65-91).
Cajuns On Saturday
The Xavier matchup marks the first Saturday game of the season for the Cajuns...UL Lafayette's previous five games had either been on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
Boyd Chasing the Trifecta Record
Senior guard Brad Boyd, coming off a season in which he drained 104 three-pointers, entered the 2003-04 season needing just 76 three-point baskets to break Sydney Grider's career record of 253 three-point field goals made...Boyd has made 21 three-point baskets so far this season moving him to 199 for his career and 55 away from breaking the record.
Boyd's Three Streak Continues
With his three-point basket at the 18:24 mark of the first half Wednesday vs. Mobile, Brad Boyd extended his streak of consecutive games with at least one 3-point field goal made to 23 straight games...The last time Boyd failed to make at least one 3-pointer came on Dec. 27, 2002 against Colorado in the Pepsi Classic in Charlotte.
Another Three-Point Streak
As a team, UL Lafayette has made at least one 3-point field goal in 53 straight contests dating back to the 2001-02 season...The last time the Cajuns failed to make at least one three-point field goal occurred on Jan. 3, 2002 in the Cajundome against South Alabama (0-for-6).
Fixture in the Lineup
With a start against Mobile, Laurie Bridges extended his streak of consecutive games started to 26 - the longest current streak of any Cajuns player...The New Orleans native broke into the starting lineup Dec. 28 of last season against Loyola-Chicago and remained a starter for the final 21 games of the season.
Dishing It Out
While senior guard Laurie Bridges takes his own fair share of the shots he doesn't mind sharing the basketball and lending a helping hand...Bridges leads the Cajuns with 23 assists this season...Bridges is on pace to set a personal single-season best for assists which currently is 59 set last season.
Turning 'Em Over
UL Lafayette has had a decisive advantage in the turnover department this season...The Cajuns have induced 94 turnovers from their opponents in four games (18.8 per game) while committing only 69 (13.8 per game)…The Cajuns sport a +5.0 turnover margin this season.
Playing the Percentages
The Cajuns have won 18 straight games in which the opposition shoots below 40 percent...The last time the Cajuns lost when holding an opponent under 40 percent was Feb. 4, 2002, when New Orleans shot 33 percent (18/54) and won 63-61...The Cajuns have won 45 of their last 50 games in which the opponent shot below 40 percent.
Coming Out Strong
The Cajuns have led at the half in each of the last four outings, outscoring opponents 177-133...UL Lafayette is 3-1 this season when ahead at halftime.
Taking the Lead
After being held to just six points in the season opener at Georgia Tech, senior Brad Boyd has bounced back to lead the team in scoring three of the last four outings...Boyd followed up the Georgia Tech outing with back-to-back 20-plus point performances and registered a team-high 19 points Monday against McNeese State...He had 14 against Mobile Wednesday...Boyd has scored 74 points in the last four games, an average of 18.5 per game.
Hitting His Stride
Brad Boyd rebounded from a season-low 25 percent performance from beyond the arc against Georgia Tech (2-for-8) in the season opener shooting 50 percent (4-of-8) against Loyola-New Orleans in the next outing...Since then the senior sharpshooter has kept his shooting percentage above 40 percent each game while making no fewer than four treys each time...He made a season-high six 3-pointers at No. 25 Dayton and then followed it up with a season-best 56 percent three-point percentage (5-of-9) Monday against McNeese State.
Boyd's Last Four Games
Loyola-NO 7-13 FG .538% 4-8
3FG .500% 21pts
Dayton 7-17 FG .412% 6-15 3FG .400% 20 pts
McNeese State 5-10 FG .500% 5-9 3FG .556% 19 pts
Mobile 5-11 FG .455% 4-10 3FG .400% 14 pts
Four-Game Totals 24-51 FG .471% 19-42 3FG .469% 74pts
The Sparkplug
Providing a much-needed energy boost for the squad and an excellent sixth man is sophomore transfer Dwayne Mitchell...He has provided fans with plenty of highlights via his electrifying dunks – the New Orleans native has thrown down seven in his two games so far this season...More important than the dunks would be his quick hands and smothering defense which has helped to shut down opposing team's leading scorers... His arrival spelled immediate relief for the Cajuns who were playing mainly with a six-man rotation which saw three starters go 40 minutes in Dayton...Coming off the bench, Mitchell is averaging 10 points per game and has handed out nine assists and picked up six steals so far.
The Chairmen Of the Boards
The rebounding task has been a group effort for the Cajuns this season...Four different players are each averaging at least five (5) rebounds per game...Junior Brian Hamilton, who tallied a season-best 11 boards Wednesday against Mobile, leads the way with seven rebounds per game...Chris Cameron (5.6 rpg) and Laurie Bridges (5.2) have been teaming with Hamilton since game one...Cedric Williams, back the last two games after sitting out the first three before becoming academically eligible, has been a welcomed addition bringing down five boards per game...The group effort will be needed throughout the season for the Cajuns who lost Michael Southall, the team leader in rebounds the previous two seasons, for the rest of the season when he was declared academically ineligible last week.
Sharing the Wealth
Seven different players scored in double-figures Wednesday against Mobile led by a season-high and game-high 21 points from Laurie Bridges...For the season, the Cajuns have seven (7) players averaging at least nine points per game.
Taking Advantage of Charity
The past two games the Cajuns have gone to the free throw line and attempted 67 free throws...UL Lafayette has responded by making 50-of-67 (.746)...In Monday's six-point win over McNeese State the Cajuns made 27-of-38 freebies compared to just 7-of-10 for MSU...Wednesday against Mobile, the Cajuns knocked down 23-of-29 for a season-high 79 percent...As a result, UL Lafayette's free throw percentage went from 56 percent entering this week's action to 67 percent heading into Saturday's game with Xaiver...The Cajuns have made more free throws (72) than their opponent has attempted (58).
Did You Know???
The Cajuns will be one of two Sun Belt teams in Cincinnati Saturday – Middle Tennessee plays at #17 Cincinnati on Saturday as well.
Closing In On A Milestone
Senior guard Brad Boyd is close to joining an elite group...Boyd, a 6-6 guard and last season's leading scorer, enters Wednesday's game against Mobile with 866 career points – leaving him just 134 points shy of 1,000 in his career...Boyd is averaging 16.0 points so far this season...At his current pace Boyd would cross the 1,000-point barrier on Jan. 24 at Florida International...Once he hits the 1,000-point mark, he will be the 35th player in UL Lafayette history to reach 1,000 points in a career...Should Boyd reach the milestone it would mark the second straight season that a Cajuns player broke 1,000 in a career – Anthony Johnson did so last season. – and would mark the fifth occurrence under Jessie Evans' tenure (Chris Manuel '97-98, Lonnie Thomas '00-01, Blane Harmon '00-01 and Anthony Johnson '02-03).
Fastbreak Points
>Brad Boyd has scored in double-figures in 27 of his last 32 outings and has made at least one three-point basket in 23 straight games.
>Brian Hamilton (2.6) is second in the Sun Belt and Laurie Bridges (2.00) fifth in steals per game. Bridges is tied for first in the league for assists per game (4.60).
>The Cajuns shot above 50 percent 12 times last season; Wednesday against Mobile UL Lafayete shot above 50 percent for the first time this season (58.2%). Twice this season the Cajuns have shot below 40 percent; last season UL Lafayette shot below 40 percent just five times.
>After making just 22 free throws in the first three games, UL Lafayette has made 50 in the last two games. The Cajuns also shot above 70 percent each time after failing to do so in the first three games.
>The last time the Cajuns allowed an opponent to score over 100 points was Dec. 6, 1997 at Texas Tech – a span of 183 straight games. In fact, opponents have hit the century mark just three times in the last 10 years.
>The Cajuns are 4-2 in overtime games under head coach Jessie Evans and have won the last three. The last time the Cajuns went into overtime was Feb. 11, 2003 in the Cajundome against Denver (W, 72-69).
>Xavier (NCAA) is the third of five postseason teams which the Cajuns are guaranteed to face this season...The Cajuns have already faced this year's Pre-Season NIT champion Georgia Tech and Dayton (NCAA)...The Cajuns will face Valparaiso (NIT) and Western Kentucky (NCAA) later this season. The Cajuns also have the possiblity of facing Arizona (NCAA) at the Fiesta Bowl Classic.
A Cajuns Win Would...
Improve the team's record to 4-2 and be the third straight win...Mark the first road win of the season and snap a four-game losing streak on the road...Improve the Cajuns to 5-4 all-time against Atlantic 10 teams...Make UL Lafayette just the fourth team in four years to post a win over Xavier at the Cintas Center.
A Cajuns Loss Would...
Drop them to 3-3 on the season. and snap a two-game winning streak...Keep them winless on the road this season and be the fifth straight road loss dating back to last season...Make the Cajuns 4-5 all-time against Atlantic 10 teams.
Next on the Schedule...
Louisiana-Lafayette travels to Tucson, Ariz., to participate in the Fiesta Bowl Classic...There the Cajuns will open tournament play on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 2:45 p.m. (CT) against Valparaiso...Tournament play wraps up on Tuesday, Dec. 30 with the consolation and championship games...UL Lafayette will face either Arizona or Liberty in the second round.
Next Time at Home...
The Cajuns next game at the Cajundome is set for Saturday, Jan. 3, 2004, against the University of Houston at 7:05 p.m.
Homegrown Talent
Of the 13 rostered players for Louisiana-Lafayette this season, eight (8) hail from the Bayou State...The Cajuns have two Lafayette natives in freshmen Adam James and Ross Mouton while Opelousas native Brad Boyd gives Louisiana-Lafayette three players from the Acadiana area...The Cajuns list of Louisiana natives includes: Brad Boyd (Opelousas), Laurie Bridges (New Orleans), Rhett Hebert (Erath) Adam James (Lafayette), Antoine Landry (New Orleans), Dwayne Mitchell (New Orleans), Ross Mouton (Lafayette) and Alphonso Williams (Cecilia).
Cajuns Picked To Defend Sun Belt Crown
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team was picked to defend its back-to-back Sun Belt Conference West Division titles according to the preseason coaches poll released at the conclusion of the annual Sun Belt basketball media days. The Cajuns received seven-first place votes to edge out New Mexico State's four first-place votes as the favorite in the West. In the Sun Belt East, three-time defending champion Western Kentucky was the front-runner with eight of 11 first-place votes. Louisiana-Lafayette has won the SBC West the past two seasons and since the league split into divisions prior to the 2000-01 season has claimed two of the three championships. The Cajuns enter the 2003-04 season having won 23 of their last 30 SBC games.
Boyd Earns Pre-Season Sun Belt Honor
Senior guard Brad Boyd (Opelousas, La. - St. Thomas More HS) represented the Cajuns on the 2003-04 All-Sun Belt Conference Preseason Team, earning first team honors. It marks the first time in his career he received such honor. Boyd's pick comes as no surprise as he is coming off a career year in which he led the team in scoring with a 16.8 points per game average and ranked fourth in the nation in three-pointers per game with 3.9. He made a personal single-season best 104 three-point baskets last season and scored in double-digits in 23 of 27 games played...Boyd was a member of the 2002-03 All-Sun Belt Team.
Cajuns Selected To Participate In Bracket Buster
ESPN announced in September the field of 46 teams which will participate in the second annual Bracket Buster Saturday men's college basketball extravaganza to be held on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2004. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette men's basketball program was one of the 46 teams chosen for the event as one of three representatives from the Sun Belt Conference. UL Lafayette will face an opponent, to be announced on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2004, on Saturday, Feb. 21. As part of the agreement, the Cajuns will host a “return” game at the Cajundome against their Bracket Buster Saturday opponent in November or December of the 2004-05 season. Ten of the 23 match-ups pitting potential NCAA tournament hopefuls against each other will be televised nationally, highlighted by five games on ESPN or ESPN2. The other five televised games will be produced and distributed in the markets of the competing teams through ESPN Regional Television and will be available nationally on ESPN FULL COURT, an out-of-market pay-per-view service.
In A League of Their Own
Louisiana-Lafayette is the only team in the Sun Belt to win at least 10 conference games in each of the last four years...The Cajuns are 65-29 under head coach Jessie Evans in Sun Belt play and have won double-digit league games in five of six seasons under his direction.
Year-By-Year Sun Belt Record
Under Evans
1997-98 – 12-6
1998-99 – 7-7
1999-00 – 13-3
2000-01 – 10-6
2001-02 – 11-4
2002-03 – 12-3
2003-04 - 0-0
Overall Record – 65-29
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
