MBB Game 16 Preview: ULM

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team returns to action on Saturday when it faces in-state rival ULM in a Sun Belt Conference matchup at the Cajundome.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m., and is the nightcap of a doubleheader that begins with the Louisiana-ULM women's game at 5 p.m. The game can be heard in the Lafayette area on KHXT 107.9-FM and ESPN 1420 AM.

After earning a split on its opening weekend of Sun Belt Conference play, Louisiana (11-4, 1-1 SBC) opens a three-game homestand that begins with ULM (6-9, 0-2 SBC) before facing Georgia Southern (Jan. 14) and Georgia State (Jan. 16).

The Ragin' Cajuns claimed a convincing 69-52 victory at Little Rock on Monday before a national television audience as freshman Justin Miller scored 15 points to lead four players in double figures. Frank Bartley (14), Bryce Washington (13) and Jay Wright (10) each scored in double figures for Louisiana with Washington grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds to notch his 12th double-double of the season – currently second in the nation.

Bartley averages 15.9 points per game to lead the Ragin' Cajuns with Wright (14.5), Washington (14.4) and Miller (11.2) following in the scoring column. Washington pulls down 11.7 rebounds per game to lead the SBC and rank fifth nationally.

GAME 16: Louisiana (11-4, 1-1 SBC) vs. ULM (6-9, 0-2 SBC)
Date / Time: January 7, 2017 / 7:15 p.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)

Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM / ESPN 1420 AM
Talent: Jay Walker (pxp)

Video: RaginCajuns.com
Live Stats: RaginCajuns.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsMBB

Series: Louisiana leads, 50-23
At Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 31-4
At Monroe: Louisiana leads, 18-17
At Neutral Sites: ULM leads, 2-1

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Career Record: 466-262 (24th season), Record at Louisiana: 118-96 (7th season)

ULM
Head Coach: Keith Richard (ULM, 1982)
Career Record: 224-244 (16th season), Record at ULM: 72-127 (7th season)

STORY LINES
• Head coach Bob Marlin enters tonight's game with 118 career wins at Louisiana - tied with Jessie Evans for fifth-place on the school's all-time list.

• Louisiana will honor the 1991-92 Ragin' Cajuns squad that finished 21-11 overall, claimed the Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament titles and reached the second round of the NCAA Championships after an 87-83 win over No. 23 Oklahoma in the West Regional in Tempe, Ariz.

• Louisiana's 11-4 start is its best 15-game start since winning 12 of its first 15 in the 1993-94 season.

• Through games of Jan. 5, 2017, junior Bryce Washington is second nationally in double-doubles (12), third in total rebounds (176), fifth in rebounds per game (11.7) and fifth in offensive rebounds per game (4.20).

QUICK HITS
• As a team, Louisiana ranks 13th in offensive rebounds per game (14.27), 14th in turnovers forced (17.2), 20th in scoring offense (84.5), 22nd in rebound margin (+7.9), 23rd in turnover margin (+4.0), 30th in steals per game (8.3) and 31st in scoring margin (+13.8).

• Louisiana is averaging 94.3 points per game in seven contests (7-0 record) in Lafayette this season.

• Freshman P.J. Hardy is 8-for-10 from behind the 3-point line in his last three games and is 14-for-20 (.700) from long range in four games in the Cajundome.

• The 73-game series with ULM is tied for fourth-place in school history with Arkansas State, Northwestern State and Louisiana College. The Ragin' Cajuns most common opponents are Louisiana Tech (128), McNeese State (92) and Lamar (83).

• With 306 career assists, Jay Wright is eight shy of tying Dwayne Mitchell (2003-06) for 10th-place in school history.

SCOUTING THE WARHAWKS
• Under seventh-year head coach Keith Richard, ULM opened Sun Belt Conference play last week falling at Little Rock (79-75, OT) and Arkansas State (76-45). The Warhawks are 5-0 at home this season, highlighted by a 77-72 victory over 2016 NCAA Championship participant Stephen F. Austin.

• Travis Munnings leads ULM in both scoring (13.3) and rebounds (8.7) with newcomer Sam McDaniel averaging 12.9 points and 7.1 rebounds. Steady Nick Coppola, the all-time leader in assists in ULM history, averages 9.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Warhawks.

UP NEXT
• Louisiana will return to action on Jan. 14 to face Georgia Southern at 7:15 p.m., before wrapping up its three-game homestand Georgia State on Jan. 16 at 7 p.m.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Frank Bartley

P.J. Hardy

Justin Miller

Bryce Washington

Jay Wright

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