University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Florida International
Cajuns Let One Slip by at FIU
2/22/2007 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Miami - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns let one slip away on Thursday, falling at Florida International by a final score of 71-68.
FIU improves to 12-15 (7-10), while the Cajuns fall to 9-19 (7-10).
Louisiana missed five free throws and four lay-ups in the final 6:57, essentially giving away the game.
FIU took the lead on the first basket of the second half, starting a string of five lead changes in the first 5:10.
The Golden Panthers captured the lead, 44-42, on a pair of free throws by Johwen Villegas at 14:50, and then took a 47-42 edge on a three-point play by Chris Fuller.
The FIU lead hit six points, 51-45, with 12:47 remaining.
The Cajuns cut the hosts lead in half, but a three pointer by Michael James at 7:42 pushed the FIU edge back to six points.
UL was again within three points, 61-58, at 6:26, but James scored in the lane to give the Golden Panthers a two-possession lead.
Ross Mouton drilled his third triple of the second stanza to trim the Cajuns deficit to two points, 63-61, with 4:10 on the clock.
Three from the stripe over the next 1:09 pushed the FIU lead to five points, 66-61.
David Dees scored to get the Cajuns within three points, but UL couldn't secure the rebound on the other end of the court and fouled after the offensive board. Two from the stripe by Brad Larson put FIU ahead 68-63 with 96 seconds to play.
Courtney Wallace scored inside and was fouled just 14 seconds later, but couldn't convert the three-point play.
James answered with a long jumper as the shot clock was about to expire, providing the Golden Panthers with a 70-65 lead with 47 seconds remaining.
Elijah Millsap buried a three pointer from the top of the arc to get UL back within two points, 70-68, with 32 seconds to play.
UL forced an FIU turnover with 22.6 seconds remaining and took possession of the ball. The Cajuns got a good look from about 12 feet by Dees, but the shot wouldn't fall. An offensive rebound and put back by Derek Gray was unsuccessful and FIU went to the free throw line with 2.1 seconds remaining.
James would make one from the stripe to give the Cajuns a chance, but Rhett Hebert's desperation half-court shot was well off the mark.
Millsap had a career night with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Mouton added 18 points, 13 in the second half, and Dees finished with 12 points and nine rebounds.
Three Golden Panthers also finished in double figures, led by James' 16 points.
The Cajuns scored the game's first basket on a good entry pass by Mouton leading to an easy lay-up by Millsap.
From there, UL committed a turnover on three of the next four possessions, but Mouton connected on a triple at 15:57 to give the Cajuns a 5-4 edge.
A three-point play by Wallace extended the Cajuns lead to 11-8, but nine offensive rebounds in the first 11 minutes helped FIU comeback to take a 15-14 lead.
Dees converted a three-point play to give the Cajuns back the lead.
Dees and Millsap then converted back-to-back three-point baskets to kick start a 10-0 Cajuns run. Tyren Johnson's fast break dunk and a basket inside by Abray Milson pushed the Cajuns lead to 10 points, 27-17, at the 5:09 mark.
The Golden Panthers responded with a 15-6 burst to finish the half down just one point.
