UL Returns To The Cajundome Sunday

GAME CENTER
Date: Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010
Location: Lafayette, La.
Opponent: Texas College (5-4, 4-0 Red River Athletic Conference)
Site: Cajundome (11,550)
Game Time: 2:05 p.m.
Live Stats/Video: www.RaginCajuns.com
TV: None
Radio: KPEL ESPN 1420 AM/KRKA 107.9 FM

Gameday Storylines

UL looks to snap a five-game losing streak against NAIA opponent Texas College on Sunday at the Cajundome.
It is the first meeting between the two schools.
All-time the Cajuns are 80-30 against NAIA schools. UL has only played two NAIA opponents since 2003. In the '03-04 season, the Cajuns defeated Loyola (New Orleans), 89-57. Last season, UL dropped a 64-68 decision to Mobile at the Cajundome.
Bob Marlin has coached against the Steers three times. All three wins were by an average of 32.0 points.
The last time the Cajuns dropped five games in a row was a stretch from 12/21-1/2 during the 2009-10 season.
In 2007-08 the Cajuns also started season with a record of 1-6. That season they were crowned the Sun Belt Western Division Champs.
Travis Bureau has scored in double figures in five of six games played. He currently ranks second on the team in scoring 12.3 ppg and first in rebounds (7.0).

Notes and Trends

Scouting the Steers

Texas College is an NAIA school located in Tyler, Texas. It is a member of the Red River Athletic Conference
The Steers are currently 5-4 on the year with a perfect 4-0 mark in league play
Jacobie Bias leads three Steers that average double-figures with 12.2 ppg. Taylor Marshall (11.6) and LaDarren Williams (10.7) are also scoring threats. Williams leads the squad with 8.0 rpg leads the NAIA with 3.4 blocks per game
The Steers rank No. 1 in NAIA Div. I with 6.9 blocks per game and 9th in three-point defense (.276)

ONE OF SUN BELT'S BEST

Despite the 1-6 record, the Cajuns rank second in the Sun Belt holding opponents to a 41.5 shooting percentage. UALR ranks first with field-goal percentage defense of 41.3
In four out of seven games, UL has held the opponent less than 40 percent on field goals

DOWN TOWN DEFENSE

Over the past two games, UL has not allowed its opponents to find much success from three-point range.
McNeese struggled mightily going 5-of-22 (22.7 percent), while Tulane was a paltry 5-for-19 (26.3 percent).

DOUBLE DOWN

Travis Bureau tallied his second career double-double at McNeese after scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Bureau posted his first career double-double in the win over Louisiana College (11/15). He also set a new career-best for rebounds in the 16-point, 14-board performance.

SECOND HALF STRUGGLES

In the games against Houston and McNeese, UL took a double-digit lead into the half only to see it not hold up to a second half comeback from the opponent.
Against Houston, UL was up 38-26 but ultimately fell, 65-78.
At McNeese, the Cajuns were up 43-25 before the Cowboys rattled off a 25-5 run in the second half.

BLOCK PARTY

Scottie Farrington swatted a team-high eight shots in the loss to Cleveland State.
It was the first time a player has posted at least eight blocks since Michael Southall had 11 against North Texas in the 2005-06 season.

FEELING FINE

After sitting out all last season due to a gruesome injury suffered in the final game of the 2008-09 season, La'Ryan Gary has begun to make a significant impact
This season he is averaging 7.6 ppg compared to his 6.9 ppg average from 2008-09
Against Cleveland State, Gary led UL with 19 point, six rebounds and four steals

ALL OVER THE RADAR

Randell Daigle put together a career-night in the loss to Creighton. He was 9-of-17 from the floor including 7-for-13 from three-point range. He set new career records in points (25), FG's made (9), rebounds (9) and three's made (7).
His scoring effort was the most since his freshman season when he scored 24 against LSU in 2008-09.

HOLDING COURT

Courtney Wallace put together a sold stat line against Creighton. It was his best showings of the season with 8 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 2 steals.
With the effort, he set a new career record for assists in a game and tied a personal best on the glass with the 9 rebounds, including 6 offensive boards.

PERFECT PEREZ

Newcomer David Perez started off hot, knocking down shots at a .700 clip (14-20), in his first two games as a Cajun. From three-point range, he is currently hitting .464 (13-28). Currently, the junior guard is averaging 10.1 ppg.

THE FOUR HORSEMAN

Four players rang up double-digit numbers in the 91-66 win over Louisiana College. David Perez led all Cajuns with 22, Travis Bureau had 16 while Scottie Farrington and Josh Brown chipped in 15.

DOUBLE DIGIT DEBUTS

Two newcomers scored in double digits in their UL debut.
Josh Brown and David Perez both scored 16 points in the season-opener against New Mexico State.
Brown was 8-of-21 with four rebounds.
Perez was 6-of-9 from the floor, including a 4-of-5 showing from three-point range.

20-20

Dating back to last season, Travis Bureau has scored 20 points in back-to-back games.
Last season at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, the senior forward put up 22 points against Louisiana-Monroe. Earlier this season against New Mexico State, Bureau scored 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting.

HE'S BACK

La'Ryan Gary returned to the court for the Cajuns for the first time since suffering an injury during the opening game of the 2008-09 Sun Belt Conference.
Against New Mexico State, the senior scored six points and had three rebounds in 16 minutes of action.

A NEW ERA BEGINS

Louisiana named Bob Marlin the 13th head men's basketball coach at the University of Louisiana on Monday, March 29, 2010.
Marlin comes to Louisiana after serving in the same capacity at Sam Houston State since 1998.
In 12 seasons with the Bearkats, Marlin produced an overall record of 225 victories and 131 losses -- more victories than any other Southland Conference member during that time span.
His best overall season with the Bearkats came in 2009-10, as he led SHSU to a 25-8 mark, including a 14-2 record in conference play and a 13-1 mark at home. He was named as 2010 Southland Conference Coach of the Year after capturing the Southland regular season and tournament championship. It was the third time that the Southland bestowed him as its Coach of the Year ('00, '03 '10).
His last eight seasons at SHSU produced a combined record of 163-81 for an average record of 20-10 each season. That stretch included five 20-plus win seasons, two conference championships and two NCAA Tournament berths. Sam Houston is one of only 52 Division I men's basketball teams to post four 20-victory seasons in the last five years.

PLAYING IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD

Continuing a trend which started in the 2007-08 season, the Ragin' Cajuns roster is loaded with talent from the State of Louisiana.
A total of 12 of 14 players on the roster call Louisiana home. Louisiana has three players from Lafayette - Colby Batiste, Randell Daigle and La'Ryan Gary.

FRESH NEW FACES

The Cajuns will see an influx of talent with seven newcomers on the 2010-11 roster.
Josh Brown and Scottie Farrington come to UL from Odessa College while David Perez transferred from Centenary.
Three true freshman will suit up this season with J.J. Thomas, Bryant Mbamalu and Donovan Williams.

RADAR DIALS 'EM IN

During his third year, Randell Daigle put together one of his most complete seasons to date.
He set career best in starts (22), FG made (117), FG pct. (.421), three-pointers made (68), rebounds (86) and steals (39).

WELCOME TO THE RAGIN' CAJUNS FAMILY

Neil Hardin has been by Bob Marlin's side throughout his coaching career - including the past 12 seasons at Sam Houston State - and the relationship will continue as Hardin will serve as an assistant coach on Marlin's inaugural staff at the University of Louisiana.
Hardin - a Pensacola, Fla., native - began working with Marlin at Pensacola Junior College in 1992 and went with him to the University of Alabama from 1995-98 and later on Sam Houston State.
Kevin Johnson, a 14-year veteran of collegiate coaching, begins his first season with the Cajuns' coaching staff after spending the previous three seasons at Nicholls State. Before coaching in Thibodaux, Johnson spent two seasons as an assistant at Louisiana Tech and was the head coach at Centenary from 1999-2005.
In his first two seasons at Nicholls State, Johnson helped the Colonels to a 30- 32 record, including a 20-11 mark and a 14-2 Southland Conference record in 2008-09. In 2008-09, the Colonels reached the 20-win mark for the first time since 1994-95 and just the second time since Nicholls State moved to Division I in 1980. His main duties included overseeing the Colonels' on-court defense and organizing recruiting efforts.
A 30-year veteran of the coaching profession who has spent the last 12 years in the Louisiana basketball landscape, Nikita Johnson joined Bob Marlin's inaugural staff at the University of Louisiana in April 2010.
Johnson has deep roots in the State of Louisiana having coached at a state school since 1998 spending time at New Orleans (1998-2004), LSU (2004-07) and Louisiana Tech (2007-10).
The Donaldsonville, Ga., native has spent time in the Sun Belt Conference, coached in the SEC, coached in the Final Four and tutored several players who had lengthy NBA careers.
Johnson comes to UL after spending the last three seasons as the associate head coach at Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs improved by nine wins in each of the last two seasons going from six wins in 2007-08 to 24 wins in 2009-10.

BOUNCING BACK

Three players - Travis Bureau, La'Ryan Gary and Courtney Wallace - all return for 2010-11 after recovering from injuries.
Bureau was hampered most of last season with a nagging hip injury, Gary missed all last season after having surgery and Wallace saw limited action after suffering multiple injuries.

PROTECTING THE BALL

Louisiana valued the basketball better than it had in recent history. In 2009-10, the Cajuns committed only 391 turnovers (13.0 tpg). That was the lowest team total since the 1993-94 squad committed just 364.
The catalyst was Raymone Andrews. He took over at point guard at WKU (Dec. 31) and finished the season with only 13 turnovers in 548 minutes of play.

NO PLACE LIKE THE 'DOME

Last season the Ragin' Cajuns posted a 10-4 record in the Cajundome - the 15th consecutive season with a .500 mark or better.
In 23 of the previous 25 seasons, the Cajuns have recorded a winning record.
Since the 2000-01 season, UL's on-court record at the 'Dome is 92-35 (.724)

A SELECT FEW

UL finished 9-0 at the Cajundome in Sun Belt play. Only other Sun Belt team undefeated at home in league play was Denver (9-0).
Since 2000-01, the Cajuns' on-court SBC record at the Cajundome is 64-17 (.790)

PROTECTING THE BALL, PART TWO

Opponents were limited to just 143 steals - an average of only 4.8 per game. You have to go back to 1981-82 to find the last time the opposition had fewer than 150 steals.

THE "EXPERIENCE" FACTOR

Louisiana returns seven letterwinners of which five are seniors.
The main core of the squad - Colby Batiste Travis Bureau, Randell Daigle, La'Ryan Gary and Courtney Wallace - has at least two years experience working together.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

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