Late Field Goal Drought Costs Cajuns Against CSF

Box Score

The Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team went through an eight-minute stretch late in the second half in which the squad made only one field goal and as a result Cal State Fullerton was able to complete the come-from-behind 69-63 victory Saturday evening in the Beryl Shipley Classic at the Cajundome.

Louisiana (2-3) had an eight-game home winning streak - which dated back to last season's win over Centenary on Jan. 19 - halted with the defeat.

The Ragin' Cajuns wrap up play in the Shipley Classic on Sunday hosting Nicholls State at 3:30 p.m.

Scottie Farrington connected on a jumper with 9:07 remaining to give UL a 51-49 advantage. The Titans reclaimed the lead on an Isiah Umipig three-pointer at 7:36.

Following Farrington's basket the Cajuns would make only one more field through the 1:37 mark. Beginning with Umipig's triple the Titans rolled off a 15-4 run that opened a 64-55 lead with 1:48 left to play.

Louisiana's lone field goal make during the eight-minute stretch was a layup by Darshawn McClellan at 3:53 that cut the deficit to 60-54. D.J. Seeley converted his second of a pair of three-point makes that occurred on back-to-back CSF possessions to extend the visitors advantage to nine points.

The Cajuns made one final push getting baskets from McClellan and Bryant Mbamalu in the final 20 seconds to close within five points, 68-63, and had a pair of three-point attempts fall short in the final 10 seconds.

CSF trailed 30-26 at halftime and was behind 49-45 with 10 minutes remaining.

Kadeem Coleby led the Cajuns with 14 points. J.J. Thomas (13 points) and Elfrid Payton (11 points). Josh Brown suffered a head injury early in the first half and did not return.

Orane Chin and D.J. Seeley each scored a game-high 18 points to pace the Titans.

The Cajuns got off to a slow start for the second straight night, converting only one field goal in the game's first eight minutes.

A three-point make by Chin at 10:37 moved the CSF lead into double figures at 16-4. UL received a McClellan basket at 10:19 and reverse layup from Coleby at 9:53 to trim the Titans lead to 17-8.

Louisiana turned CSF turnovers on back-to-back possessions into fastbreak baskets from Payton that lowered the deficit to 17-13 with 7:36 remaining in the opening stanza.

A 3-pointer by David Perez at 3:21 got the Cajuns within one point, 23-22. Andre Hardy knocked down a basket to give CSF a 25-22 edge just inside of three minutes.

UL fed off the inside presence of Coleby who scored on each of the team's next three possessions. A layup through traffic at 2:15 pulled the hosts in front 26-25 and the hosts held onto the lead at halftime.

UL began the second half scoring with a 6-2 run capped off by a pair of Thomas free throws at 17:37 that extended the lead to 36-28.

Trailing 40-36, the Titans used a pair of three-point plays to trigger an 8-2 run that opened a 44-42 advantage with 13:58 remaining. Hardy converted a layup and sank the free throw to finish off the CSF run.

UL jumped back in front when Thomas registered a three-point play of his own at 12:40 for a 45-44 advantage. Free throws from Payton and Mbamalu extended the lead to 49-45 by the 10:52 mark.

CSF drew even at 49-all on a Umipig jumper at 9:22 and regained the lead 52-51 two minutes later when a Umipig triple followed a Farrington make for UL.

Andrews sank a freebie at 7:28 to draw the Cajuns into a 52-all tie, but the Titans received a freebie from Seeley at 6:31 to forge ahead for good.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Late Field Goal Drought Costs Cajuns Against CSF

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