Cajuns Welcome ULM to Cajundome for Sun Belt Matchup

Game 20

Louisiana (10-9, 3-5) vs ULM (7-13, 3-5)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 1, 2014
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Site: Cajundome
Radio: ESPN 1420 (Steve Peloquin)
TV: None
Live Video Stream/Stats: www.RaginCajuns.com
Series: ULM leads 41-7.
Last Meeting: Louisiana 68, ULM 49, Jan. 4, 2013 at Monroe.
Louisiana season tickets available at RaginCajuns.com and by calling the Cajundome (337) 265-2357.

THE COACHES:
LOUISIANA
Garry Brodhead
At Louisiana: 20-30 (2nd Season)
Overall: Same
vs. ULM: 1-2

ULM
Mona Martin
At ULM: 259-185 (19th Season)
Overall: Same
vs. Louisiana: 11-4

Game Notes

Setting the Scene: The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns women's basketball team returns home and continues Sun Belt action on Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Cajundome, when they take on ULM for the second time this season at 5 p.m. The Cajuns defeated the Warhawks 68-49 in the first meeting in Monroe. Sylvana Okde led the way with a career-high 23 points. Kia Wilridge and Keke Veal also scored double-digit points with 14 and 13, respectively. Okde leads all Cajuns in scoring this season, averaging 12.4 points in 19 games, and 16.3 points in eight conference games. Fellow sophomore Brooklyn Arceneaux also averages above 10 points a game in conference play, averaging 13.6 points with 6.5 rebounds in eight games.

About the Opponent: ULM is 7-13 on the season and 3-5 in Sun Belt play, and is coming off of a four-game losing streak, falling to South Alabama, 72-70, WKU, 77-73, Georgia State, 77-66, and Arkansas State 80-68. The Warhawks are led by Ashleigh Simmons with 15.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Simmons has played in 19 of the Warhawks' 20 games, missing the first game against the Cajuns with an injury. Alexar Tuglar and Jasmine Shaw also average double-digit points with 10.9 and 10.1 respectively.

No Sleep For Brooklyn: Sophomore Brooklyn Arceneaux has found her stride in the wake of Keke Veal's injury, posting double-digit points in six of the last seven games, including her first career double-double, scoring 18 points with 11 rebounds against Troy (11/18/14), and a pair of career-high 19 point games against South Alabama (1/15/13) and UALR (1/29/14). Arceneaux is averaging 13.6 points and 6.5 rebounds in conference play, and is 17.0 points with 7.6 rebounds per game over the last five games.

Avoiding the Turnover: The Cajuns have forced the most turnovers per game among all Sun Belt teams at 22.6, while turning the ball over an average of 16.7 times, the fourth-least in the Sun Belt, for a conference best +5.84 turnover margin. That would be the 13th best margin in the NCAA as of January 26.

Century Mark for Okde: Sophomore guard Sylvana Okde hit 74 3-pointers as a freshman in 2012-13 and has made 50 so far this season, becoming the eighth player in school history to reach 100 career triples. Two players have reached the 200-mark, with Rhonda McCullough (1987-90) holding the school record with 260, and Kim Perrot (1986-90) with 202. Perrot achieved that feat despite the 3-point shot being nonexistent in her first season with the Ragin' Cajuns. She currently ranks sixth all-time at Louisiana in 3-pointers made with 124 career triples, behind Onna Charles (2005-08) with 143.

Shades of 2006-07: The Ragin' Cajuns posted a four-game winning streak beginning with a Dec. 14 victory against New Orleans through the Sun Belt Conference opener at ULM on Jan. 4. The win against ULM marked the longest winning streak and first time the Cajuns have won their conference opener since the 2006-07 season. The Cajuns won seven straight games from Jan. 3-25, 2007, all Sun Belt match ups. The Cajuns earned a bid to the NCAA tournament in 2007, falling to Marquette in the opening round.

Double-Double²: The Cajuns have four double-doubles on the season, with two by Jasmin Mills, and one each from Brooklyn Arceneaux and Kia Wilridge. The double-doubles have come in groups, with Mills' coming in back-to-back games, and Wilridge and Arceneaux's also coming in back-to-back games. Mills scored 20 points with 11 rebounds against Nebraska Omaha (11/8/13) and followed that with 16 points and 11 rebounds against SUNO (11/11/13). Wilridge scored 11 points with 11 boards against South Alabama (1/15/14), and Arceneaux scored 18 points with 11 rebounds against Troy (11/18/14).

What's Next? The Ragin' Cajuns continue Sun Belt play on the road with a pair of games in the state of Texas. They open the two-game set at UT Arlington on Feb. 6 at noon, and finish the trip with a 2 p.m. tipoff at Texas State on Feb. 8. The Cajuns will then return home for three games at the Cajundome, taking on UALR on Feb. 12 at 5 p.m., Arkansas State on Feb. 15 at 5 p.m. and Troy on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.

Game Night Story Lines

• The Cajuns are coming off their fourth-straight loss, falling at UALR, 74-60. The Cajuns are now 3-5 in Sun Belt games and 10-9 overall after starting 10-5 and 2-1.

• This is the 49th all-time meeting between Louisiana and ULM, dating back to a 43-32 Ragin' Cajuns victory on Feb. 4, 1972 in Monroe. The Cajuns won the first meeting of the season between the two teams, defeating the Warhawks 68-49 in Monroe. Sylvana Okde led the Cajuns with 23 points, shooting 4-for-7 from three and 8-for-11 from the field. Kia Wilridge added 14 points and Keke Veal added 13.

• Ragin' Cajuns guard Sylvana Okde hit one 3-pointer against UALR, and now has a 3-pointer in 22 consecutive games.

• The Cajuns went 2-7 against Sun Belt teams they were facing for the second time last season.

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Cajuns Welcome ULM to Cajundome for Sun Belt Matchup

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