@RaginCajunsMBB Game 25 Preview: vs. ULM

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team wraps up a three-game homestand on Saturday when it entertains in-state opponent ULM in a Sun Belt Conference contest at the Cajundome.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp) and Eric Mouton (color) on the call. 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.

Louisiana (14-10, 5-6 SBC) returns to action after a dramatic 76-72 victory last Friday over then-league leader Georgia State at the Cajundome. JaKeenan Gant paved the way for the Ragin' Cajuns with a game-high 23 points, going 8-for-11 from the floor and 3-for-3 from behind the 3-point line.

Cedric Russell (14 points) and freshman Trajan Wesley (10) each scored in double figures while Justin Miller pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

ULM (13-10, 6-5 SBC), which claimed a 99-95 win over Louisiana last month in Monroe, avenged a pair of heartbreaking losses in the state of Georgia last month, earning wins over Georgia State and Georgia Southern last week in Monroe.

Gant enters the week ranked No. 3 in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring at 21.1 points per game while ranking second in the league in rebounds (8.3). Marcus Stroman (11.8) is second on the team in scoring while leading the league in assists (6.3) and tied for the league-lead in steals (2.1).

Daishon Smith, the reigning Sun Belt/LSWA Player of the Week, leads the Sun Belt Conference in scoring (21.9) and is 13th nationally in free throw percentage (.896). Michael Ertal, seventh in the country in free throw percentage (.908), is averaging 15.4 points for ULM with Travis Munnings (13.5) and JD Williams (12.7) also averaging in double figures.

GAME INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (14-10, 5-6 SBC) vs. ULM (13-10, 6-5 SBC)
Date / Time: February 16, 2019 / 7 p.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)

RADIO/TV
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM
Talent: Jay Walker (PxP); Ross Cook (color)
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Dan McDonald (PxP); Eric Mouton (color)

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

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Louisiana leads, 54-24
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 33-4
In Monroe: Louisiana leads, 20-18
Neutral: ULM leads, 2-1
Streak: ULM +1

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 169-121 (ninth season), Career Record: 517-287 (26th season)

ULM
Head Coach: Keith Richard (ULM, 1982)
Record at ULM: 106-168 (ninth season), Career Record: 256-285 (18th season)

STORY LINES
• The meeting with the Warhawks will be the 79th between the in-state schools and marks the third-oldest series in Ragin' Cajuns basketball history behind Louisiana Tech (130) and McNeese State (94).
• Since the beginning of the Louisiana-ULM series in 1953, 29 of the 78 games have been decided by six points or less.
• Louisiana head coach Bob Marlin began his coaching career as a graduate assistant (1981-83) at ULM under Louisiana Hall of Fame Coach Mike Vining. His point guard during his tenure in Monroe was current ULM head coach Keith Richard.
• Louisiana is 40-20 overall in games played during the month of February under head coach Bob Marlin and a combined 60-35 in February/March.
• Since opening the Cajundome in 1985-86, Louisiana has posted a 337-128 record and is 99-30 under head coach Bob Marlin.

QUICK HITS
• ULM (.788) and Louisiana (.753) are first and second, respectively, in the Sun Belt Conference in free throw shooting.
• Louisiana is 9-3 overall when scoring 80 or more points during the 2018-19 season.
• Louisiana is 6-1 this season in games decided by six points or less.
• Louisiana has used 10 different starting lineups during the 2018-19 season, including six since losing senior Malik Marquetti to a knee injury on Dec. 29.
• JaKeenan Gant is the lone Division I player averaging 20 points, eight rebounds and 2.9 blocks during the 2018-19 season.
• With 1,187 points in his collegiate career (including 922 in his career at Louisiana), Gant is 78 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point mark with the Ragin' Cajuns.
• Louisiana's 73-72 victory at Southeastern Louisiana on Dec. 29 was its first one-point win since defeating ULM, 85-84, on Feb. 18, 2017. The Ragin' Cajuns are 11-4 overall in one-point games under head coach Bob Marlin and 55-49 overall in school history.

SCOUTING ULM
• ULM avenged a pair of heartbreaking losses in the state of Georgia last month, earning wins over Georgia State and Georgia Southern last week in Monroe.
• The Warhawks opened the week with an 82-76 win over GSU before capping off the weekend with an 88-79 victory over Georgia Southern.
• Daishon Smith, the reigning Sun Belt/LSWA Player of the Week, leads the Sun Belt Conference in scoring (21.9) and is 13th nationally in free throw percentage (.896; 112-125). Michael Ertal, seventh in the country in free throw percentage (.908; 59-65), is averaging 15.4 points for ULM with Travis Munnings (13.5) and JD Williams (12.7) averaging in double figures.
• Munnings (7.6) and Andre Washington (6.0) are the top rebounders for the Warhawks with Smith leading the team with 3.9 assists per game.

LAST MEETING - ULM 99, LOUISIANA 95
• Daishon Smith scored 27 points, including six free throws in the final 1:45 as ULM built an early 22-point lead and held off a furious Louisiana comeback to claim a 99-95 Sun Belt Conference victory at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
• Michael Ertel scored 23 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 2:15 remaining as ULM improved to 8-0 at home and snapped a two-game losing streak. Louisiana, which lost its first game to the Warhawks in the last six contests, was led by JaKeenan Gant with 31 points and 10 rebounds.
• Louisiana trailed 89-79 after a 3-pointer by Ertel before P.J. Hardy and Justin Miller sparked an 8-1 run. Miller's two free throws with 3:09 left closed the Warhawk lead to 89-81 before back-to-back 3-pointers by Hardy got Louisiana to within 90-87 at the 2:35 mark.

AT HOME IN THE DOME
• In eight of the past nine seasons, Louisiana has won 10 or more games in the Cajundome, highlighted by a single-season record tying 14 victories in 2017-18.
• Louisiana is 8-3 overall at the Cajundome in 2018-19.
• Since opening in 1985-86, Louisiana has posted a 337-128 record in the Cajundome and is 99-30 under head coach Bob Marlin.

THE RAGIN' CAJUNS LEGACY LIVES ON
• Two members of the 2018-19 Ragin' Cajuns squad are following in the footsteps of their fathers, who each played for then-USL.
• Freshman forward Kobe Julien (Baton Rouge) is the son of former Ragin' Cajuns forward Wayne Julien (1977-81) with freshman guard Eli Mouton (Lafayette) the son of former Ragin' Cajuns player and current ESPN+ analyst Eric Mouton.

BORN ON THE BAYOU
• Eight of the 15 players on the 2018-19 Ragin' Cajuns basketball team hail from the state of Louisiana.
• Baton Rouge - Kobe Julien (Madison Prep) and Jalen Johnson (University Lab); Lafayette - Eli Mouton (Ascension Episcopal School); Lake Charles - P.J. Hardy (St. Louis Catholic); Alexandria - Cedric Russell (Peabody); Luling - Mason Aucoin (Hahnville); DeRidder - R.J. Gladney (DeRidder); Roseland - Jeremy Hayes.

WINNING THE CLOSE ONES
• During the Bob Marlin era, Louisiana is 50-46 in games decided by six points or less with at least nine wins recorded in both 2010-11 and 2013-14.
• The Cajuns were 3-1 in games decided by six points or less in 2017-18 and are 6-1 this season.
• In one-point contests, Louisiana's 73-72 victory at Southeastern Louisiana on Dec. 29 was its first since defeating ULM, 85-84, on Feb. 18, 2017.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 11-4 overall in one-point games under head coach Bob Marlin and 55-49 overall in school history.

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 25 Preview: vs. ULM

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Players Mentioned

Mason Aucoin

JaKeenan Gant

R.J. Gladney

P.J. Hardy

Jeremy Hayes

Jalen Johnson

Kobe Julien

Malik Marquetti

Justin Miller

Eli Mouton

Cedric Russell

Marcus Stroman

Trajan Wesley

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