Cajuns Welcome Xavier to Cajundome

Game 6
Louisiana (3-2) vs Xavier (4-4)
Date: Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Site: Cajundome
Radio: ESPN 1420 (S
TV: None
Live Stream: www.RaginCajuns.com
Live Stats: www.RaginCajuns.com
Series: Xavier leads 2-1
Last Meeting: Louisiana 57, Xavier 50, Dec. 1, 1988 in Lafayette.
Louisiana season tickets available at RaginCajuns.com and by calling the Cajundome (337) 265-2357.

THE COACHES:
LOUISIANA
GARRY BRODHEAD (Louisiana '80)
At Louisiana: 13-23 (2nd Season)
Overall: Same
vs. Xavier: First Meeting

Xavier
Bo Browder
At Xavier: 352-121 (15th Season)
Overall: 354-129 (16th Season)
vs. Louisiana: First Meeting

Game Notes

Setting the Scene: The Ragin' Cajuns return home to take on NAIA opponent Xavier-New Orleans in their final game at the Cajundome until Dec. 29. The Cajuns are coming off their biggest margin of victory this season, defeating Jackson State, 81-64 on Nov. 25. They are led by sophomore guard Keke Veal, with 15.8 points and 4.6 rebounds a game. Fellow sophomores Jasmin Mills and Sylvana Okde hold down second on the team in scoring, with 10.4 a game. Xavier is the 15th ranked NAIA Division-I team in the nation, and are 4-4 after dropping their last two games. They are led by guard Paige Gauthier, with 11.3 points, and 4.0 rebounds in 28.1 minutes a game this season.

From Downtown: Sophomore guard Sylvana Okde hit 74 three-pointers in her freshman season, marking the fourth-highest season in Ragin' Cajuns history. To put into perspective, she has already cracked the top-10 list for 3-point shots made in a career, ranking ninth in just her first season. She became the first player since Rhonda McCullough with 70-or-more 3-pointers in a season in 1989-90. McCllough also holds the all-time record for 3-pointers in a season, knocking down 102 triples in the 1987-88 season. As a sophomore, Okde has added to that total, hitting nine of 37 shots from behind the arc for 83 career triples. She is nine three's away from tying Alexis Green (2008-10) for eighth all-time in a career.

Double (figure) Trouble: Keke Veal has scored in double-figures every game this season, with 15 points in the first two contests, 17 against Sam Houston State,14 against Lamar and a season-high 18 against Jackson State. As a team, the Cajuns have had four players reach double-figures in three games, against Nebraska-Omaha, SUNO, and Sam Houston State.

Seeing Double-Double: Both Jasmin Mills and Ashley Benjamin posted double-doubles in the season opener, marking the first game in which two Ragin' Cajuns had double-doubles under head coach Garry Brodhead. Mills scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Benjamin scored 15 points, picking up 14 rebounds. Mills repeated her performance against Southern-New Orleans, with 16 points and 11 rebounds for her second double-double of the season. For Mills, it was her fourth and fifth double-doubles of her career and for Benjamin it was her third.

First-Year Success at the Helm: Louisiana head coach Garry Brodhead is entering his second season at the helm of the Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball program, going 10-21 in his first season. The 10 wins is the highest in a coaches' first season at Louisiana since Mike Doucet went 10-17 in 1988. The most wins b a coach in their first season was Ross Cook, who went 22-6 i n 1983-84.

Everyone Is Back: All five starters from 2012-13 are on the roster for the 2013-14 season, one of four teams in the Sun Belt to return their entire first-five from a season ago. Sophomores Keke Veal (13.1 ppg, 4.8 rbg) and Sylvana Okde (10.2 ppg, 2.6 rbg) both averaged over 10 points in 31 games senior Ashley Benjamin along with sophomore Jasmin Mills each averaged 6.2 rebounds a game.

Preseason Honors: Sophomore guard Keke Veal was named to the Sun Belt's preseason second-team on Oct. 29. As a freshman, Veal led the Cajuns in scoring, averaging a team-high 13.2 points a game. She reached double-digit scoring a team-high 21 times and added four 20-plus point nights.

What's Next? Louisiana takes to the road for their longest road trip of the season, despite being just three games long. They travel to Mississippi State (Dec. 4), Louisiana Tech (Dec. 7) and New Orleans (Dec. 14), finally returning home for their final game before the holiday break on Dec. 19 when they take on Alcorn State at 7 p.m. in Earl K. Long Gym. They will return to the Cajundome on Dec. 29 to take on Southeastern Louisiana at 5 p.m.

-- Ragin Cajuns --

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