University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Florida International
Cajuns Hold on to Top FIU For Second Straight Victory
1/6/2007 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LAFAYETTE - Guided by a 10-0 run in the final 2:32 of the first half Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns were able to create early separation and hold on for a 74-71 victory over FIU here Saturday evening in the Cajundome.
The run, jumpstarted and finished by three-pointers from Ross Mouton, helped the Cajuns take their largest lead of the evening at 31-17 just before halftime.
The 10-point cushion was insurance for Louisiana-Lafayette which saw FIU outscore the home team 16-7 from the 3:57 mark of the second half until 24 seconds left cutting the Ragin' Cajuns lead to 68-66.
Louisiana-Lafayette (4-12, 2-4 Sun Belt) would go a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe in the final 23 seconds to hold on for the victory
The win was the second straight for the Cajuns who defeated Denver 66-64 on Thursday ? the first of back-to-back victories of the season. UL defeated FIU for the fifth straight time in the Cajundome and sixth time in seven meetings.
UL was led by the trio of Mouton, David Dees and Elijah Millsap who all scored in double figures for the second straight night. Mouton scored 22 points hitting 8-of-17 shots (5-of-10 from three-point range). Dees registered a double-double scoring 18 and netting 10 rebounds. Millsap added 11 points.
The Cajuns were able to open a double digit halftime lead on the strength of outscoring FIU 15-3 from three-point range. UL made 5-of-10 three-pointers in the first half.
Johwen Villegas led the charge from FIU with a game-high 25 points (20 in the second half). The Golden Panthers (6-9, 1-4 Sun Belt) also received 23 points from Alex Galindo. Galindo was also the game's top rebounder with 13 boards.
Each team had three possessions in the first minutes and came away empty each time. The first points weren't put on the board until Galindo hit a three-pointer in the right corner for a 3-0 lead at 18:22.
On the ensuing possession the Cajuns found Mouton on an inbounds play for a triple in the right corner and the score was evened at 3-all at 17:48.
The score remained tied through the 17-minute mark as each team swapped field goals. Millsap rebounded a missed three-pointer by Mouton at converted the putback to create a 5-all tie at 17:05.
The Cajuns defense forced FIU into poor shot selection and the visitors remained off the scoreboard through the 12:58 mark.
During that time the Cajuns regained the lead. Adam James scored inside at 15:09 to put UL in front 7-5. Nearly one minute later it was Abray Milson rebounding a missed jumper by Dees and getting a shot high off the backboard to up the Cajuns lead to 9-5.
Elvis Lora scored inside for the Golden Panthers at the 12:58 mark and the UL lead was down to 9-7. The Cajuns made the most of a second chance opportunity on the return trip as Willie Lago backed the ball beyond the three-point line and knocked down a three-pointer at the top of the key to increase the Cajuns lead to 12-7 with 12:28 on the clock.
Six possessions of either turnovers or missed shots occurred after the 11-minute media timeout. The Cajuns broke the scoring drought when Millsap made two free throws at 10:09 upping the lead to 14-7.
The Cajuns were doubling-up FIU after their next possession. Millsap drove into the left wing and stopped about five feet from the basket and banked a shot off the backboard increasing the lead to 16-8 at 9:35.
FIU came back and got an inside basket from Galindo at 9:11 to put the Golden Panthers into double digits. After a UL missed shot the Panthers won the scramble for the rebound and tossed an outlet pass to Villegas who took the basketball the length of the court and made a spin move around two defenders for a quick layup at 8:03 that trimmed the UL lead to 16-12.
A Mouton three-pointer at the 7:14 mark stretched the Cajuns lead to seven points at 19-12. UL would go scoreless for the next three minutes, but no harm was done as FIU could get only three points at cut the lead to 19-15 by the four minute mark.
The Cajuns lead was still four points at 3:03 when Galindo drove around Mouton for a layup that made it 21-17. Mouton had the last word as on the ensuing possession he calmly walked from the left wing to the right wing and buried a three-pointer at 2:32 that built up the Cajuns advantage to 24-17 ? a basket which triggered a 10-0 run by the Cajuns.
A turnover by Lora allowed the Cajuns to regain possession. Dees then worked his way into the lane for a finger-tip layup at 1:57 that pushed the Cajuns lead to 26-17. The lead went into double digits for the first time when James made two free throws with 1:09 left in the half made it 28-17.
Lora missed a three-point attempt and Valentino Hart nabbed the defensive board for the Ragin' Cajuns. Patience was the key for UL as they worked the shot clock down to the final seconds before finding Mouton for a triple at the top of the key which bumped the Cajuns into their largest lead at 31-17.
Mouton's triple created a 14-point lead for UL ? the squad's largest lead at any time during a game this season.
FIU got the three points back on the next possession. Villegas drove to the hoop and made the basket as he was fouled by James. He hit the freebie to complete the three-point play which made the halftime score 31-20.
The Cajuns lead was back at 14 points on the squad's second possession of the second stanza. Mouton hit a three-pointer on the right wing after rebounding a miss by Dees and UL was up 34-20. FIU answered with a three-pointer at the top of key from Villegas.
The lead stayed double digits until a stretch of five unanswered points by FIU cut the lead to eight points. It started with three free throws from Villegas after he was fouled my Millsap on a three-point attempt. After a defensive stop, the Golden Panthers found Lora inside for a basket that made it 36-28.
The Cajuns wasted no time returning the lead to double figures. On the ensuing possession Mouton drove through the right wing and glided in for a hook layup. He was fouled and hit the free throw to push the Cajuns lead to 39-28 at 17:20.
Galindo hit a free throw at 16:46 and the lead was 39-29. The two teams swapped baskets before the 16 minute mark expired and the Cajuns were still up double digits at 41-31.
Villegas made a three-pointer with 14:40 remaining and the Golden Panthers had cut the lead back into single digits at 42-34. The Cajuns were quick to answer as a Millsap basket at 14:32 upping the lead to 10 points.
The Cajuns forced FIU to miss a basket on the ensuing possession. UL missed a basket as well, but Milson was in place for an offensive rebound and a putback that helped the Cajuns lead grow to 46-34 at 14:07. A three-point basket by Chris Fuller on the ensuing possession got the Cajuns lead into single digits at 46-37 with 13:42 left to play.
UL would return to advantage back to double digits at the 11:08 mark when Derek Gray made a jumper in the right wing to give the Cajuns a 48-38 lead.
Each time the Golden Panthers would score the Ragin' Cajuns had an answer and the closest FIU could get was nine points over the next two minutes. That was at 9:52 when Fuller hit another triple in the left corner cutting the UL lead to 50-41. The Cajuns followed suit and found Hart all alone beneath the basket for an uncontested layup at 9:27 that made it 52-41.
The Cajuns went scoreless for the next two minutes allowing the Golden Panthers to draw within six points by the 7:33 mark. UL would miss three field goal attempts and then a turnover by Willie Lago set the stage for two free throws by Galindo at 7:33 that cut the Cajuns lead to 52-46.
The Ragin' Cajuns scored on their next three touches to prevent FIU from clawing any closer. After swapping baskets the score was 54-48. Dees got two offensive rebounds on the ensuing possession with his last rebound allowing him to follow his shot with a layup at 6:00 that made it 56-48.
Galindo missed the front-end of a one-and-one chance at 5:37 and the Cajuns grabbed the rebound. Mouton hit a jumper at 5:15 that returned the lead to double figures at 58-48.
The Cajuns were coasting along with 3:57 remaining after Dees buried a triple at the top of the key to increase the lead to 61-50.
FIU was able to hit two three-pointers by the 1:53 mark and all of a sudden the margin had shrunk to five points at 61-56 following a Villegas triple at the top of the key.
Rhett Hebert made two free throws apiece at the 1:51 mark and with 59 seconds remaining. His last two free throws pushed the Louisiana-Lafayette lead to 67-58 and it seemed like the Cajuns would coast in for the victory and finish it at the free throw line.
A foul by Lago as Lora was driving into the paint gave FIU a chance to put points on the board without the clock running. Lora's freebies trimmed the UL lead to 67-60.
The Cajuns then committed two turnovers on their next two possessions. FIU got a three-pointer from Villegas with 35 seconds left and then a free throw from Lora with 28 seconds to pull within 67-64.
Millsap missed the front-end of a one-and-one chance with 26 seconds left. Dees was able to grab the rebound and make one free throw to create a two-possession game 68-64. After Dees missed the second freebie Millsap was called for an offensive foul giving the Golden Panthers two chances to score without clock running. Fuller hit two free throws with 23 seconds showing and the lead was 68-66.
FIU would foul the Cajuns on the next two possessions. Lago and Dees each hit two free throws and the Cajuns lead was 72-68 with 13 second remaining.
The Golden Panthers would inch even closer on the ensuing possession and Galindo hit another long-range three-pointer and it was 72-71. Hebert made two more free throws with seven seconds left to give UL a 74-71 lead.
FIU had the last shot but Galindo desperation heave hit the front of the rim and the clock expired giving UL the victory.
The Ragin' Cajuns take the road for their next two games. UL visits North Texas on Thursday, Jan. 11 for a 7:30 p.m., game in Denton, Texas. Then its off to Bowling Green, Ky., for a meeting with rival Western Kentucky at 7:00 p.m., in E.A. Diddle Arena on Saturday, Jan. 13.
The next home game in the Cajundome is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 16 against South Alabama at 7:05 p.m.
