@RaginCajunsMBB Game 22 Preview: at Coastal Carolina

CONWAY, S.C. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team closes out a two-game road trip to the Carolinas on Saturday when it faces Coastal Carolina in a Sun Belt Conference game at the HTC Center.

Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., CT. Fans can listen to the game in the Lafayette area on KHXT-FM (107.9) and worldwide on RaginCajuns.com with Jay Walker (PxP) and Ross Cook (color) providing the commentary. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Jeff McCarragher (pxp) and Nate Ross (color) on the call.

Louisiana (13-8, 4-4 SBC) looks to rebound from a disappointing 104-77 loss at Appalachian State on Thursday. JaKeenan Gant recorded his Sun Belt Conference leading ninth double-double of the season for the Ragin' Cajuns, scoring 15 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Gant leads Louisiana in both scoring (20.6), rebounds (8.5) and blocked shots (3.0) and remains the lone Division I player in 2018-19 to average 20 points, eight rebounds and three blocks per game.

Senior guard Marcus Stroman, a native of Columbia, S.C., returns to his home state for the second time since transferring to Louisiana after the 2015-16 season. Stroman is second on the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game while leading the SBC in both assists (6.6) and steals per game (2.3).

Coastal Carolina (11-9, 5-3 SBC) won its fourth straight game after a 92-81 victory over ULM on Thursday. Zac Cuthbertson, third in the league in rebounds (8.4), scored 29 points to lead the Chanticleers.

GAME INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (13-8, 4-4 SBC) at COASTAL CAROLINA (11-9, 5-3 SBC)
Date / Time: February 2, 2019 / 1 p.m. CT
Site: Conway, S.C.
Arena: HTC Center (3,212)

RADIO/TV
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM
Talent: Jay Walker (PxP); Ross Cook (color)
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Jeff McCarragher (PxP); Nate Ross (color)

LIVE STATS/SOCIAL MEDIA
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Social Updates: @RaginCajunsMBB | #GeauxCajuns

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Louisiana leads, 3-0
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 1-0
In Conway: Louisiana leads, 2-0
Streak: Louisiana +3

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 168-119 (ninth season), Career Record: 516-285 (26th season)

COASTAL CAROLINA
Head Coach: Cliff Ellis (Florida State, 1968)
Record at Coastal: 224-156 (12th season), Career Record: 836-505 (45^th season)

STORY LINES
• Louisiana has won all three games in the series, including both games in Conway by a combined six points (73-69 in 2013; 79-77 in 2017).
• Senior point guard Marcus Stroman is a native of Columbia and played his first two seasons at South Carolina. The game against Coastal Carolina will be the second in his home state since transferring to Louisiana.
• In his previous game in the Palmetto State, Stroman scored a then-career high 16 points against Clemson on Dec. 22, 2017.
• Stroman leads the Sun Belt Conference in assists per game (6.6) and is tied for the league-lead in steals (2.3).
• Louisiana's JaKeenan Gant (8.5) and Coastal Carolina's Zac Cuthbertson (8.4) are ranked second and third, respectively, in the Sun Belt Conference in rebounds per game.
• The Ragin' Cajuns have used nine different starting lineups during the 2018-19 season.

QUICK HITS
• JaKeenan Gant is the lone Division I player averaging 20 points, eight rebounds and three blocks during the 2018-19 season.
• With 1,114 points in his collegiate career (including 849 in his career at Louisiana), Gant is 151 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point mark with the Ragin' Cajuns.
• Louisiana's 38 points off the bench against Appalachian State were its most since Dec. 11 vs. Prairie View (56) and was more than the previous three games combined (23).
• Louisiana has averaged an SBC-best 83.4 points in league play.
• Louisiana is 9-2 overall when scoring 80 or more points during the 2018-19 season.
• The 21 turnovers by Louisiana at Appalachian State on Thursday were a season-high, leading to a season-high 26 points off turnovers allowed by the Ragin' Cajuns.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are officially 261-183 in Sun Belt Conference play and 95-59 under head coach Bob Marlin.

SCOUTING COASTAL CAROLINA
• Currently the hottest team in the Sun Belt Conference, the Chanticleers won their fourth straight game on Thursday with a 92-81 victory over ULM.
• Coastal Carolina opened its current four-game win streak at home against Appalachian State (89-72) before earning road wins at Little Rock (72-71) and Arkansas State (77-64).
• Zac Cuthbertson paces CCU in scoring (19.0) and rebounds (8.4) while shooting 39 percent from behind the 3-point line. DeVante Jones, a New Orleans native and St. Augustine product, is averaging 13.8 points in eight games this season for the Chanticleers.
• Coastal Carolina averages 76.7 points as a team while allowing 70.0.

SEASON TICKETS AVAILABLE
• Season tickets, beginning at $100, are available online at RaginCajuns.com using Account Manager, or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 265-2357.
• All current UL faculty and staff, along with recent graduates (within the last five years), can purchase season tickets at a 50-percent discount to cheer on the Ragin' Cajuns during the 2018-19 season at the Cajundome.
• The special package will allow recent graduates of Louisiana to purchase tickets in sections 101-103. Discounts will be applied upon confirmation of graduate status by the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office.

GET YOUR PASSPORT
• Each game against in-state opponents, beginning with the Ragin' Cajuns Nov. 28 game at New Orleans, fans can get their "Louisiana Passport" stamped at a location to be determined. In-state games for the Ragin' Cajuns include home games against Southern (Dec. 1), Loyola (Dec. 5), Louisiana Tech (Dec. 15) and ULM (Feb. 16), with additional road games slated against McNeese State (Dec. 18), Southeastern Louisiana (Dec. 29) and ULM (Jan. 19).
• At Louisiana's game against ULM at the Cajundome on Feb. 16, those who have a completed passport with eight stamps will be recognized on the court at some point during the game.
• For more information on tickets, contact the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 265-2357. For information concerning parking, contact the RCAF at (337) 851-2903.

CAJUNS CARE TICKET INITIATIVE
• Help Louisiana Athletics continue to give back! After a successful start during the 2018 football season, the Cajuns Care program will allow Ragin' Cajuns fans the opportunity to purchase Louisiana men's basketball season tickets for $20.
• Tickets purchased through the Cajuns Care program will be donated to local charitable and philanthropic initiatives, including Boys & Girls Club of Acadiana, the United Way and area military servicemen and servicewomen.
• Fans and supporters of Louisiana men's basketball can find the option to purchase Cajuns Care season tickets online, by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at the Cajundome (337-265-2357) or visiting in-person.

FOLLOW THE CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Twitter (@RaginCajunsMBB), Facebook (RaginCajunsMBB) or Instagram (@RaginCajunsMBB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Men's Basketball.

@RaginCajunsMBB Game 22 Preview: at Coastal Carolina

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Players Mentioned

JaKeenan Gant

Marcus Stroman

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