University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Players Mentioned
MBB Game 27 Preview: vs Texas State
2/18/2015 6:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Thursday, Feb. 19 • 7:15 p.m. (CST) • Cajundome (11,500) • Lafayette, La.
Game Notes: Louisiana | Texas State
Live Stats
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM Video: RaginCajuns.com
Rosters: Louisiana | Texas State
Statistics: Louisiana | Texas State
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @Cajunbasketball
Opponents Twitter: @TXSTMBB
THE COACHES
Louisiana: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Career Record: 428-241 (22nd season) Record at Louisiana: 80-75 (5th season)
Texas State: Danny Kaspar (North Texas, 1978)
Career Record: 483-225 (24th season) Record at Texas State: 18-32 (2nd season)
FOR STARTERS
Louisiana can take a big step toward securing a bid and a strong seed at the SBC Tournament in New Orleans with a pair of games this week, starting Thursday when it goes for a season sweep of Texas State at the Cajundome.
THE LAST TIME OUT
The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns did not surrender the lead once in regulation, but needed overtime to survive a scare from Troy, picking up an 84-80 win over the Trojans on Saturday at Trojan Arena.
Louisiana put five players in double figures and never trailed, finishing off the season sweep of the Trojans. The Cajuns had just six turnovers in the first 39 minutes of regulation, but surrendered it four times in the game's final minute to allow the Trojans the opportunity to rally.
Troy's Chris Bilbo scored six straight points in that final minute, but it was Kevin Thomas who made a pair of foul shots with 0.8 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime tied at 74-74.
Troy scored on their first three shots of the overtime period to go, taking their first lead of the game and held an 80-77 advantage with 2:30 to play; however, the Cajuns clamped down late and finished the game on a 7-0 run to get the win.
Jay Wright was the offensive hero in overtime, getting consecutive layups to erase that three-point deficit and put the Cajuns back in front 81-80 with under a minute to play. The Cajuns were still up a pair with 10 seconds to play when Devonta Walker stood his ground against Thomas, drawing a charge on the Trojans last gasp to tie things up or take the lead.
UP NEXT
A trip to Arlington to avenge a Feb. 21 loss to UT Arlington awaits the Cajuns on Saturday before rounding out the regular season next week with games against UALR and Arkansas State with the March 5 game vs the Trojans serving as Senior Day for the Cajuns.
• Shawn Long is one of only three players in the country averaging at least 17.0 ppg and 10.0 rpg, joined by Desharick Guidry (McNeese State) and Jerome Hill (Gardner-Webb).
• Steven Wronkoski had his best game of the season on Saturday at Troy, coming off the bench for 13 points and five rebouds. It is the 11th double-figure scoring game of his career, and the first of the season. The 13 points is the most since he scored a career-high 17 at McNeese State as a freshman on December 8, 2012.
• The Cajuns won Saturday's game at Troy despite the Trojans hitting 62.0 percent from the floor. That percentage is the highest for an opponent in a Cajun win in the Bob Marlin era.
• The Cajuns are shooting .707 from the free throw line this year, a mark that ranks second in the SBC. UL hasn't shot better than .700 as a team from the foul line since the 1993-94 team shot .716 from the stripe.
• Shawn Long had his streak of six straight double-doubles snapped at Troy. It was the second time in his career he has put together at six straight double-doubles, previously doing so as a freshman.
#GeauxCajuns
