UL Opens Sun Belt Home Slate with Troy

GAMECENTER
Date: Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Location: Lafayette, La.
Opponent: Troy Trojans (4-11, 1-1 Sun Belt)
Site: Earl K. Long Gym (1,121)
Game Time: 7:00 pm
Live Stats/Video: RaginCajuns.com
Radio: Ian Auzenne - Play-by-Play, Sports Radio ESPN 1420 AM

The Ragin' Cajuns (8-7, 1-1 Sun Belt) return home after a three-game road trip. UL capped the road swing with a 65-54 victory at North Texas on Jan. 1.
Jasmine Barnes led the way with 17 points for Louisiana, while Mercedes Johnson scored 10 points against the Mean Green. Johnson is just nine points shy of becoming the 14th player in UL history to reach 1,000 points.
Johnson leads the Cajuns with 13.2 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per contest. Barnes, a native of Baton Rouge, is also in double-figures with 10.3 ppg while shooting 56 percent (65x117) from the floor.

All-Time Series with Troy: The series is tied, 4-4
Last Meeting: UL 70, Troy 67 • Earl K. Long Gym • Lafayette, La. • 1/23/10

UL will meet Troy (4-11, 1-1 Sun Belt) for the ninth time since the first meeting on Jan. 14, 2006. UL snapped a four-game losing skid to the Trojans with a 70-67 victory against Troy last year inside Earl K. Long Gym.
A win on Wednesday would tie the mark for most wins in a season during Coach Errol Roger's tenure.

Scouting the Trojans

The Trojans (4-11, 1-1 Sun Belt) enter Wednesday's contest with a two-game win streak. Troy snapped a five-game skid with a 62-56 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Dec. 30 at the Georgia State Tournament.
The Trojans then turned around to open Sun Belt action with a 64-57 win over FAU on Jan. 2.
Troy is posting 54.9 points per game, shooting just 37.3 percent (313x839) in 15 contests this season. In the rebounds column, Troy is corralling 40.2 boards per game, while opponents are held to 38.2 rpg. Opponents are averaging 65.8 points per contest, while shooting 39.2 percent (361x921).
Two Trojans are averaging double-figures. Donette McNair and DeAngela Sword are averaging 13.5 points per contest. McNair is reeling in 9.6 rebounds per game as Sword is pulling 4.8 rpg.

Notes and Trends

WHERE THEY RANK

Louisiana ranks second in the Sun Belt and 110th nationally in scoring offense, averaging 67.5 points per game in 15 contests this year.
The Ragin' Cajuns is second in the Sun Belt in turnover margin. UL is only committing 18.4 turnovers per contest, while opponents are turning the ball over 21.6 times in 15 contests this season.
The squad is second in the league and 75th in the nation in field goal percentage at 42.4 (382x902).
Mercedes Johnson is 12th in the Sun Belt, averaging 13.2 points per game.
Senior Jasmine Barnes ranks fourth in the league in field goal percentage, connecting on 55.6 percent of her shots (65x117).
Kemi Rotibi is third in the Sun Belt with 20 total blocks for an average of 1.3 per game.

QUICK HITTERS

In eight victories this season, Louisiana is shooting an average of 46.9 percent (236-503) from the field, grabbing an average of 38.2 rebounds and forcing an average of 23 turnovers per game.
This season, the Cajuns have connected on 42.4 percent (382x902) of their shots from the floor compared to 37.6 percent (339x902) at this point a year ago. Through 15 games, UL is 8-7 this season, compared to 5-10 a year ago.
The Cajuns are averaging 21.6 forced turnovers per game this season. Louisiana has forced 20-plus turnovers in nine contests this season.
On two occasions, the Ragin' Cajuns have forced 30-plus turnovers -- a first during the last seven seasons.
Nicole Morris has been essential to UL's offense by dishing out a team-leading 37 assists in 15 games this year. Morris, a native of Cypress, Texas, is averaging 2.5 assists per game.
Danyell Oliver leads UL with 15 made three-pointers this season, averaging 7.7 points per game. Oliver also leads the Cajuns from the charity stripe, making 83.9 percent (26x31) from the line.

MERCEDES LEADING THE CHARGE

Mercedes Johnson leads the team in points per game with 13.2 and rebounds per contest with 6.3. Johnson recorded her first double-double of the season against UNO, inking 17 points with a career-high 19 rebounds.
The Houston native is nine points shy of reaching 1,000 career points. She will become the 14th UL player to reach the milestone and the first since Onna Charles and Sonora Edwards (2007-08).

BARNES NEARING TOP-10 LISTS

Senior Jasmine Barnes continues to contribute in a major way this season. The Baton Rouge native is averaging 10.3 points per game and is second on the team with 69 total rebounds for 4.6 rebounds per game through 15 contests.

She is shooting a team-high 55.6 percent from the floor (65x117).
The senior has 330 career made field goals and is just 74 away from reaching UL's top-10 list. She currently ranks sixth-time in Cajuns history with a 45.1 field goal percentage (330x731).
Barnes is six games away from reaching the top-10 for games played and just five contests away from reaching the top-10 for games started.

BELL ADDS SCORING THREAT

Lyndra Bell set a career-high 19 points in UL's win over New Orleans on Dec. 19.
Bell is averaging 9.3 points per game with 3.7 rebounds per contest. She is second on the team in field goal percentage, shooting 47.6 percent (59x124) in 14 games.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

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