Kent State Slips by Cajuns in Final Minutes

Box Score

A five-minute scoring drought in the final minutes of Monday night's game in Kent, Ohio was the only factor that kept Louisiana from leaving the Memorial Athletic & Convocation Center with a victory as Kent State rallied to escape with a 76-67 decision.

The Cajuns (3-5) used an 11-0 run earlier in the second half to grab a 50-45 lead with 12:03 remaining. Even though the Golden Flashes (3-1) pulled even at 50-all, the Cajuns fed off the inside presence of Kadeem Coleby to maintain their lead.

Kent State reclaimed the lead 64-61 on a Michael Porrini three-point basket at the 6:18 mark. UL seemed destined to not let the comeback slip away as Josh Brown buried a triple at 5:57 and Coleby followed up a Porrini turnover with a slam dunk at 5:22 for a 66-64 lead.

The Golden Flashes answered Coleby's basket with a 3-point make from Randal Holt with 4:25 left to play to register the first of 10 unanswered points and the defense held the Cajuns scoreless until a Darshawn McClellan free throw with 17 seconds remaining.

Louisiana, playing without second leading scorer J.J. Thomas who missed the game with a knee injury, received season-highs in points from Coleby (19) and McClellan (17). Josh Brown, who returned after missing the previous two games with a head injury, contributed 16 points off the bench.

Kent State was led by 15 points apiece from Holt and Porrini.

After KSU pulled into ties at 50-all and 52-all, Coleby forced his way inside for baskets that helped the Cajuns maintain the lead. Louisiana was either tied or ahead of KSU until the Porrini triple with 6:18 on the clock.

Monday's game marked the first meeting all-time between the two schools.

The Cajuns return home for a meeting with Interstate 10 rival McNeese State on Thursday at the Cajundome. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Coleby gave the Cajuns a 4-3 lead at 17:45 on a layup off a feed from McClellan. On the next three possessions the teams traded three-point fields, with KSU getting a pair and laying claim to a 9-7 lead by 16:54.

UL pulled even on a pair of free throws from McClellan at 16:28 and the score remained the same at the first media timeout.

The Cajuns defense held the Golden Flashes without a field goal make until the 11:01 mark. After a pair of free throws by Justin Greene put KSU up 11-9, baskets from Brown and Raymone Andrews pulled UL ahead 13-11.

Eric Gaines ended the KSU field goal drought and evened the score at 13-all, starting a 10-0 run for the hosts that provided a 21-13 advantage by the 7:58 mark.

After KSU opened a 25-15 lead, the Cajuns used a triple from David Perez and three-point play by Coleby to trim the deficit to 27-21 by the 5:50 mark.

McClellan buried a 3-pointer at the top of the key at 4:09 to move the Cajuns within four points, 30-26. Following the three-minute media timeout, Louisiana had two chances to get closer and even take the lead after a defensive stop, but missed a pair of three-point attempts.

Kent State took advantage as twice in a one-minute span Gaines knocked down a triple to increase the hosts lead to 36-28 with 1:22 remaining before halftime.

Both teams trade seven points in the first three minutes of the second half and the KSU lead remained six points, 43-37.

After a timeout at the 14:42 following a McClellan free throw, the Cajuns collected back-to-back defensive stops and reeled off a 5-0 run to forge a 45-all tie. A second-chance three-pointer from McClellan and dunk off a KSU turnover by Brown provided the points.

On the next Cajuns possession a three-point play from Brown provided a 48-45 lead at 12:41, then 38 seconds later a basket by Coleby opened a five-point lead. The Golden Flashes responded with a five-point run to draw even at 50-all with 11:44 remaining.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Kent State Slips by Cajuns in Final Minutes

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