University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Arkansas State
Cajuns Can't Get It Done at Arkansas State
2/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005
JONESBORO, ARK. – Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns had possibly their worst game of the season, falling 86-80 at Arkansas State on Thursday night.
Louisiana (17-9, 11-3) was whistled for 27 personal fouls and committed 22 turnovers. The foul trouble turned a normally tenacious Cajuns defense into a soft and fragile shell.
Despite the foul trouble and turnovers, the Cajuns still led by seven points with 5:20 remaining.
All five Cajuns starters were in foul trouble the entire evening and Brian Hamilton was the first casualty. Hamilton fouled out with 5:03 to play and the Cajuns leading 69-62.
Arkansas State (14-12, 6-7) then used a 9-4 run to close within a basket, 73-71, with 3:24 remaining.
Tiras Wade was then charged with his fourth foul and ASU's run continued.
The Indians tied the game at the 2:34 mark, but Wade gave the Cajuns back the lead. His basket put UL in front 75-73 with 2:21 to play, but it was the Cajuns last lead of the game.
Two Indians three pointers in a 42-second span turned the game in favor of the hosts.
J.J. Montgomery's triple, a Cajuns turnover and a Dewarick Spencer three-pointer put the Cajuns behind by four with 66 seconds left. The Indians made seven free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
Each of the Cajuns starters hit double figures in scoring, led by 22 from Wade. Wade made just 1-of-9 from three-point range and 6-of-15 from the floor. Hamilton had 13, Orien Greene 12 and Chris Cameron and Dwayne Mitchell 10 points apiece.
The teams played an even first half, but it was the Cajuns that came out firing in the first 7:10 of the second stanza.
Louisiana started the half with a 19-8 run to build a 56-45 lead. Wade had nine points during the run, seven of which came from the free throw line. His last free throw gave him 31 straight from the stripe, a new school record.
ASU quickly charged back after Hamilton collected his fourth foul. An 8-0 spurt in 1:35 by the hosts cut the Cajuns lead to 56-53 with 11:15 to play.
Mitchell hit just his sixth three-pointer of the season before Cameron buried his second triple of the game to send the Cajuns lead to nine points in only 55 seconds.
Cameron committed his fourth foul and ASU promptly went on a 7-0 run to close to 62-60 at the 7:12 mark. Greene was also charged with his fourth foul during the Indians run.
Hamilton returned to score four straight points to help UL to a 66-60 lead with 6:05 remaining. The Cajuns lead moved to seven points after Greene hit three straight from the stripe, making the score 69-62 in favor of UL with 5:20 showing on the clock.
Both teams shot 49 percent from the floor, but it was the Indians 4-of-7 from three-point range in the second half that made the difference.
Sloppy play and two technical fouls in the first half prevented the Cajuns from sustaining any significant advantage. UL committed 15 miscues in the game's opening 20 minutes.
Louisiana jumped to a quick 9-4 lead in the first four minutes of the contest.
ASU came back with two triples to take a 10-9 edge.
The teams traded baskets before Wade's bucket and Spencer Ford's three-pointer gave the Cajuns a 16-12 edge midway through the first half.
The Cajuns lead moved to five points, 23-18, following a three by Cameron at the 8:01 mark.
A 7-2 run by ASU tied the contest at 25-25 with 6:24 to go in the first half. The Indians would make five free throws around four points from Greene to take a 30-29 edge.
Another bucket from Cameron preceded two threes from Ross Mouton giving the Cajuns a 37-35 lead with 40 ticks left in the half.
A technical foul on Wade with 1.7 seconds remaining allowed ASU to tie the game at 37-37.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
