University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Little Rock
Players Mentioned
MBB Game 12 Preview: at UALR
12/28/2014 9:53:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Tuesday, Dec. 30 • 7:30 p.m. (CST) • Jack Stephens Center (5,600)
Game Notes: Louisiana | UALR
Live Stats
Radio:Â KHXT 107.9 FMÂ Â Â Video: UALRTrojans.com
Rosters: Louisiana | UALR
Statistics: Louisiana | UALR
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @Cajunbasketball
Opponents Twitter:Â @UALRbasketball
THE COACHES
Louisiana:Â Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Career Record:Â 420-234 (22nd season) Â Â Record at Louisiana:Â 72-68 (5th season)
UALR: Steve Shields (Baylor, 1988)
Career Record: 184-165 (12th season) Â Â Record at UALR: Same
FOR STARTERS
With non-conference play in the books, Louisiana will put a close to the 2014 calendar year and kick off Sun Belt Conference play on Tuesday at UALR. The Ragin' Cajuns enter SBC play having won five of their last seven games.
THE LAST TIME OUT
The Ragin' Cajuns got 23 points and 19 rebounds from junior Devonta Walker, but could not hold off an enthusiastic Northwestern State squad on Dec. 20, falling 89-85 to the Demons at Prather Coliseum.
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The loss was the first to the Demons for Louisiana since 1971, snapping an eight-game win streak in the series for the Cajuns.
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Walker picked up his first double-double as a Cajun, adding five assists to his total, and was joined in double figures by four teammates; however, 18 turnovers hindered a late Louisiana push for the lead, negating a night that saw the Demons go just 6-for-24 from three-point range and 13-for-23 at the foul line.
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Kasey Shepherd continued to show well offensively with an 18-point outing that included two of UL's four threes. Jay Wright added 12 points and three assists, and Xavian Rimmer and Brian Williams had 10 points apiece.
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UL lost for the first time this year when out-rebounding an opponent, owning the edge on the glass 49-38, and pulling in 20 offensive boards. Walker led all players with his 19 rebounds, while Shawn Long pulled in 13 boards.Â
UP NEXT
Three games in a span of just six days will vault the Cajuns squarely into the flow of conference action. UL will get the comforts of home in five of its next seven contests with road games at league newcomers Appalachian State and Georgia Southern sandwiched around a home game against defending league champion Georgia State highlighting that stretch.
• UL outrebounded Northwestern State 49-38 in its Dec. 20 loss to the Demons, marking the seventh time this season the Cajuns have outrebounded their opponent, but the first time they have not pulled out a win in those games.
• Devonta Walker pulled in 19 rebounds at Northwestern State, marking the first 10+ rebound performance by a Cajun other than Shawn Long this year. The total is the second-most by a Sun Belt player in a single game this season and is the most by a Cajun since Long had 19 last year against Jackson State.
• UL is 1-3 in Sun Belt Conference openers under Bob Marlin and will be looking to win a conference opener on the road for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 38/74 (.513) in their last four games from three-point range after hitting just 26/98 (.265) from three in their first seven games of the year.
• The 115 points scored by the Ragin' Cajuns against Centenary and Milligan College are the most points by a UL team since scoring 117 against Louisiana College on Dec. 11, 2002.
#GeauxCajuns
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