@RaginCajunsMBB Game 24 Preview: vs. Georgia State

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team will return to action on Friday when it entertains current Sun Belt Conference leader Georgia State in a nationally-televised contest at the Cajundome.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m., and will be televised live on ESPN2 with Jordan Bernfield (pxp) and Paul Biancardi (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.

The game, which will showcase the University and its facilities to a national audience, will be a "Blackout Game" with all fans encouraged to wear black to the game. The first 500 UL Lafayette students attending will receive a free t-shirt while the nationally-renowned Red Panda will perform at halftime.

Louisiana (13-10, 4-6 SBC) dropped a 103-86 decision to Georgia Southern on Wednesday despite 23 points from JaKeenan Gant. The senior, who is tied for second in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring (21.0) and second in rebounds (8.5), has recorded 20 games this season in double figures while producing a SBC-leading 10 double-doubles.

Marcus Stroman (11.9), Jerekius Davis (9.9) and Justin Miller (9.3) are next in the scoring column for the Ragin' Cajuns, who are second in the league in scoring offense averaging 83.3 points per game.

Georgia State (16-7, 7-3 SBC), the current Sun Belt Conference leader heading into Thursday's games, dropped an 82-76 decision at ULM on Wednesday. D'Marcus Simonds scored 18 points to lead four players in double figures for the Panthers, who made 11 3-pointers in the contest, but were on the wrong end of a 15-4 differential in second chance points.

Simonds leads GSU in scoring at 19.0 points per game with Devin Mitchell (13.6), Jeff Thomas (11.9), Malik Benlevi (11.7) and Kane Williams (10.6) all scoring in double figures. Benlevi pulls down a team-high 5.6 rebounds for the Panthers while Simonds is seventh in the Sun Belt Conference with 3.7 assists per game.

GAME INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (13-10, 4-6 SBC) vs. GEORGIA STATE (16-7, 7-3 SBC)
Date / Time: February 8, 2019 / 8 p.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)

RADIO/TV
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM
Talent: Jay Walker (PxP); Ross Cook (color)
TV: ESPN2
Talent: Jordan Bernfield (PxP); Paul Biancardi (color)

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

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Georgia State leads, 12-5
In Lafayette: Series tied, 3-3
In Atlanta: Georgia State leads, 7-1
Neutral: Georgia State leads, 2-1
Streak: Georgia State +6

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 168-121 (ninth season), Career Record: 516-287 (26th season)

GEORGIA STATE
Head Coach: Ron Hunter (Miami [OH], 1986)
Record at GSU: 163-92 (eighth season), Career Record: 437-311 (25th season)

STORY LINES
• Since the beginning of the 2013-14 season, Georgia State (126 wins) and Louisiana (125) have won the most overall games among the current membership of the Sun Belt Conference.
• GSU (72) and Louisiana (66) are ranked 1-2 in conference wins during the same time span.
• Louisiana is 39-20 overall in games played during the month of February under head coach Bob Marlin and a combined 59-35 in February/March.
• 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.

QUICK HITS
• Louisiana is 9-3 overall when scoring 80 or more points during the 2018-19 season.
• Louisiana is ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring offense, free throw percentage (.748), assists (15.0) and steals per game (7.7).
• JaKeenan Gant is the lone Division I player averaging 20 points, eight rebounds and 2.9 blocks during the 2018-19 season.
• With 1,164 points in his collegiate career (including 899 in his career at Louisiana), Gant is 101 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point mark with the Ragin' Cajuns.
• Gant is second among SBC players in scoring during conference games, averaging 26.7 points while averaging a league-best 9.5 rebounds per contest.
• The Ragin' Cajuns look to avoid losing consecutive Sun Belt Conference games at home in the same season for the first time since facing Georgia Southern (1/14/17) and Georgia State (1/16/17).
• Gant is ranked in the top 100 nationally in 11 categories, including ranked fifth in both total blocks (64) and blocks per game (2.91).
• The Ragin' Cajuns are officially 261-185 in Sun Belt Conference play and 95-61 under head coach Bob Marlin.
• 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 GEORGIA STATE
• Georgia State, the current Sun Belt Conference leader heading into Thursday's games, dropped an 82-76 decision at ULM on Wednesday. D'Marcus Simonds scored 18 points to lead four players in double figures for the Panthers, who made 11 3-pointers in the contest, but were on the wrong end of a 15-4 differential in second chance points.
• Simonds leads GSU in scoring at 19.0 points per game with Devin Mitchell (13.6), Jeff Thomas (11.9), Malik Benlevi (11.7) and Kane Williams (10.6) all scoring in double figures. Benlevi pulls down a team-high 5.6 rebounds for the Panthers while Simonds is seventh in the Sun Belt Conference with 3.7 assists per game.
• The Panthers rank second in the Sun Belt Conference with 9.8 3-pointers made per game and are one of four teams in the league averaging nine or more makes from long distance. GSU leads the SBC in both turnover margin (+2.7) and blocked shots (5.0).

LAST MEETING - GEORGIA STATE 89, LOUISIANA 76
• Jeff Thomas scored 14 of his 17 points early in the first half and Georgia State made 13 of 25 attempts from behind the 3-point line to hold off Louisiana, 89-76, in a Sun Belt Conference game at the GSU Sports Arena.
• D'Marcus Simonds scored 21 points to lead GSU while Malik Benlevi added 15 points and Devin Mitchell 13. The Panthers shot 66 percent from the floor in the second half, including a 7-for-10 performance from behind the 3-point line, and shot 52 percent (31-for-60) for the game.
• Louisiana, which was led by JaKeenan Gant's 36 points and 11 rebounds, took its only lead of the game – 27-25 – on a bucket by Gant with 2:27 remaining in the first half before baskets by Simonds and Benlevi put GSU back on top.

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 7-3 overall at the Cajundome in 2018-19.
• Since opening in 1985-86, Louisiana has posted a 336-128 record in the Cajundome and is 98-30 under head coach Bob Marlin.

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 24 Preview: vs. Georgia State

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Players Mentioned

Jerekius Davis

JaKeenan Gant

Malik Marquetti

Justin Miller

Marcus Stroman

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