University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Western Kentucky
WKU Snaps Cajuns Home Court Win Streak
2/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003
LAFAYETTE – Western Kentucky guard Patrick Sparks made only two three-pointers the entire game, but it was the second which came with 1:36 left to play which proved to be the vital for WKU here Wednesday night at the Cajundome in front of 9,121 fans on a live ESPN2 national telecast as the Hilltoppers posted a 69-66 win over Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns in Sun Belt Conference men's basketball action.
With less than two minutes to play in the game, the Toppers on top by three, 61-58, and the Ragin' Cajuns pressing for a defensive stop, Sparks nailed a 3-pointer 22 feet from the top of the key as the shot clock was dwindling down to put WKU up 64-58 and end any hopes of a Cajuns comeback. It was WKU's only three-point attempt of the second half.
The Hilltoppers (20-8, 11-2 Sun Belt) made five free throws down the stretch to secure the victory between the SBC's two top teams and end Louisiana-Lafayette's 21-game home court winning streak and spoil the Cajuns (20-8, 12-3 Sun Belt) chance at an undefeated home season for the first time in the Cajundome and first time since the 1972-73 season.
Western Kentucky became the first SBC team to defeat the Cajuns in the Cajundome since Arkansas State won 82-80 on Feb. 3, 2001.
WKU won its eighth straight game and clinched the Sun Belt Conference East Division championship outright. UL Lafayette, the SBC's No. 1 West seed, concluded its regular season by dropping its second outing in the last three games. The Cajuns had their 16-game Sun Belt Conference home win streak snapped.
The Cajuns placed four scorers in double figures led by Brad Boyd's 14 (3-of-16 from the field). Junior guard Laurie Bridges had 13 and seniors Kenneth Lawrence and Anthony Johnson had 12 and 10 points respectively in their final home games as Ragin' Cajuns.
Lawrence led the Cajuns with four assists. Sophomore center Michael Southall posted a team-best six rebounds but fouled out with only five points on 2-of-3 shooting.
WKU was paced by David Boyden's 20 points and Mike Wells' 19. Nate Williams added 12 off the bench and Sparks scored 10 as the Toppers had four players in double digits as well. Sparks dished out a game-high six assists.
The rebounds were a deciding factor in the game. WKU outboarded the Cajuns 43-30 for the game including a 13-9 advantage on the offensive glass. The Hilltoppers had eight offensive boards in the opening frame alone. Three players each had seven rebounds for WKU.
The Hilltoppers rallied back from a 35-28 halftime deficit shooting 52 percent (13-of-25) in the second half. The Cajuns struggled from the floor in the second frame, connecting on just 11-of-31 attempts (35.5 percent).
Western Kentucky took the lead for good with 9:59 left in regulation. Anthony Winchester made his only basket of the night count, driving the lane for a bucket that started a 6-0 Hilltoppers run. Winchester's basket made it 50-48 WKU and the lead reached six on a pair of free throws from Wells and inside basket.
Lawrence pulled the Cajuns within four points at 54-50 with a inside jumper on the right baseline with 6:55 left to play in the game, but WKU responded with back-to-back Boyden baskets to stretch the lead back to eight (58-50) with 5:51 remaining.
Southall slammed one home on the Cajuns next possession to trim the lead to 58-52, but fouled out on the trip back down the court. WKU built a 59-52 advantage with a Sparks free throw at 5:20 of the second half.
UL Lafayette had its chances to cut the Toppers lead closer but missed four straight free throws over the next minute. The Cajuns made just 50 percent (7-of-14) of their freebies in the second half.
The Cajuns would cut the lead to three, 61-58 on a pair of Cedric Williams freebies with 2:10 remaining in the game, but Sparks killed the momentum with his three-pointer.
WKU made its free throws and the Cajuns shots would not fall down the stretch. After a Lawrence three-pointer cut the lead to three at 69-66 with four seconds left, Boyden missed a pair of free throws which would have made it a two-possession game. However, the Cajuns could not get a hold of the loose ball on the second miss and the Toppers
Louisiana-Lafayette led for the majority of the first half. With the exception of three occasions the Cajuns had the lead.
A 10-0 run in the latter stages of the half helped the Cajuns reclaim the lead after falling behind 19-16. A Boyd three-pointer and four-point play were the main catalysts of the spurt which built a 26-19 lead for the Cajuns.
UL Lafayette's largest lead was eight points with 59 seconds left in the opening frame when Lawrence penetrated into the lane and put one in off the glass then converted on the free throw to give the Cajuns a 35-27 lead.
The Cajuns are now off for the next nine days before opening play in the 2003 Aeropostale Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Bowling Green, Ky., on Saturday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. against the winner of the Arkansas State-No. 5 West seed winner. UL Lafayette has won its last three SBC Tournament openers.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
