Cajuns Stumble on Day Two of Hilltop Challenge

Box Score

A slow start in the second half caused the Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team to fall behind by double figures in Saturday's contest against North Dakota State at the Hilltop Challenge in San Francisco and the squad couldn't recover in falling 78-58 to the Bison.

The loss ended a 12-game regular season win streak for the Cajuns (1-1) that dated back to a win over Centenary on Jan. 19. UL fell to 1-1 in the Hilltop Challenge and now plays for second place in the event on Sunday against host-San Francisco at 5:30 p.m. (CDT) at War Memorial Gym.

The Cajuns were held scoreless for the first 4:37 of the second half and the Bison were able to extend a 38-33 halftime lead into double figures. A free throw make by Darnell Jackson at 15:23 cut the deficit to 43-34, but a triple by Dylan Hale at 15:08 put NDSU (2-0) up double figures again.

UL closed within eight points, 46-38, following free throws from Darshawn McClellan at 13:28. NDSU returned the lead to double figures with Taylor Braun freebies at 13:01 then used three-point makes from Mike Felt at 12:21 and 11:48 to keep the Cajuns on their heels.

McClellan knocked down a jumper in the left wing at 11:30 lowering the Cajuns deficit to 54-43. The Bison used an 11-3 run to stretch the advantage to 65-46 by the eight minute mark and the lead was no lower than 15 points the remainder of the evening.

The second half, in which NDSU outscored UL 40-25, was a stark contrast to the opening half that featured six ties and 10 lead changes.

Freshman Elfrid Payton led the Ragin' Cajuns with 13 points. Bryant Mbamalu and J.J. Thomas contributed nine points apiece. Jackson hauled in a game-high 10 rebounds.

NDSU was led by the quartet of Lawrence Alexander, Marshall Bjorklund, Braun and Felt who combined for 64 of the team's 78 points (82 percent). Felt scored a game-high 18 points off the bench.

A night after blistering the nets at 62 percent, Louisiana was held to 35 percent (19-of-53) from the field.

NDSU connected on 48 percent (24-of-50) of its field goal attempts and held a 7-1 advantage in three-point field goal makes.

The lead changed hands six times during the first six minutes of the contest with neither team holding a lead larger than three points until a Felt triple and Alexander three-point play put NDSU in front 15-10 at 13:47.

Thomas knocked down a triple at 12:05 to draw the Cajuns even at 15-all. On the next trip down the floor he scored an inside basket at 11:37 to give UL a 17-15 advantage.

The back-and-forth play continued as a Felt triple gave the Bison an 18-17 lead at the 10:59 mark and Scottie Farrington answered for the Cajuns 19 seconds later with a hook shot to reclaim the lead.

NDSU forged the fourth tie of the opening stanza when Felt converted all freebies on a three-shot situation knotting the score at 23-all. The lead changed a 10^th time when Braun scored at 7:46 to give the Bison a 25-23 edge.

The Bison broke a 25-all tie with a field goal make by Bjorklund at 5:07 and stretched the lead to five points on an Alexander triple on the ensuing possession.

UL battled back getting four points from Payton on a fadeaway jumper and pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 30-29, then netted another tie at 32-all following a Mbamalu mid-range jumper.

NDSU reeled off six unanswered points during the one-minute mark to reclaim the lead heading into the break.

Cajuns Stumble on Day Two of Hilltop Challenge

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