MBB Game 5 Preview: at ULM

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team opens Sun Belt Conference play on Thursday when it ventures north to face in-state rival ULM in a 7 p.m. contest at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.

The game, which will follow the women's game scheduled for 5 p.m., can be heard in the Lafayette area on Hot 107.9-FM and on the internet at RaginCajuns.com.

Louisiana (2-2, 0-0 SBC), which opens its 25th season of men's basketball in the Sun Belt Conference, will open league play at ULM (3-2, 0-0 SBC) for the second time in three years.

In the 2013-14 league opener, ULM posted a 103-98 win in double overtime despite a triple-double from former Cajun point guard Elfrid Payton (34 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) along with 21 points, eight rebounds and six blocks from Shawn Long.

Long, the Sun Belt Conference leader in scoring (21.3), rebounds (12.0) and blocked shots (2.0), leads the Ragin' Cajuns with Kasey Shepherd (12.3 points), Jay Wright (11.0) and Devonta Walker (10.0) next in scoring.

GAME INFORMATION
Date / Time: Dec. 3, 2015 / 7 p.m. CT
Site: Monroe, La.
Arena: Fant-Ewing Coliseum (7,000)
TV/Web: None
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM - Talent: Jay Walker (PBP)
Video: RaginCajuns.com - Live Stats: RaginCajuns.com
Twitter Updates: @Cajunbasketball
Series: Louisiana leads, 49-22

THE SERIES
• Louisiana leads the all-time series against ULM, 49-22, including an 18-16 overall mark in games played in Monroe. The Warhawks have won three of the last four meetings in the series, including two straight at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. The Ragin' Cajuns last win in Monroe was a 71-63 decision on March 2, 2013.

THE OPPONENT
• ULM, which returns four starters for head coach Keith Richard, have recorded wins over McMurry, Northwestern State and Chattanooga while dropping games at Minnesota and Houston. Majok Deng has averaged 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds to lead the Warhawks with Travis Munnings (12.2 ppg.), Justin Roberson (8.6) and DeMondre Harvey (8.4) following in the scoring column.

UP NEXT
• The Ragin' Cajuns will continue their slate of in-state schools when it plays host to Southland Conference opponent McNeese State on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Cajundome. Louisiana will then play its next three games on the road beginning Dec. 12 at Louisiana Tech before traveling to the West Coast to face UCLA (Dec. 15) and Pepperdine (Dec. 18).

QUICK HITS
• Louisiana head coach Bob Marlin was a graduate assistant at ULM from 1981-83 where he worked under legendary coach Mike Vining. He was a member of the staff of the then-Indians' 1982 Trans America Athletic Conference championship team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

• Shawn Long is the NCAA Division I active leader in both double-doubles (55) and rebounds (1,086). He ranks second among active NCAA Division I players in FG (671) and rebound average (10.4), third in blocks (220), and fourth in points (1,785).

• Louisiana leads the Sun Belt Conference, and is second among Division I programs, in scoring with a 96.0 points per game average.

• Long is the only player in the Sun Belt Conference averaging a double-double on the season.

• Long is 100 rebounds shy of passing former South Alabama standout Augustine Rubit (1,183) as the Sun Belt Conference's all-time leading rebounder.

• With 1,785 points scored in his career, Long is 17th overall on the Sun Belt Conference all-time scoring list and is two points shy of tying former UAB player and current Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy for 16th.

• Louisiana is 201-139 in Sun Belt Conference games dating back to the 1992 season.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Shawn Long

Kasey Shepherd

Devonta Walker

Jay Wright

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