Back At Home! Ragin' Cajuns Host UT Arlington On Thursday

LAFAYETTE – After wrapping up a grueling stretch of five games in 10 days, including its last three on the road, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Men's Basketball team returns home to the friendly confines of the Cajundome on Thursday when it plays host to UT Arlington in a Sun Belt Conference game.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game can be heard in the Lafayette area on KHXT 107.9 FM, ESPN 1420 AM and the ESPN 1420 app with Jay Walker on the call. The game will also be available on ESPN+ with Cody Junot (PxP) and former Ragin' Cajuns standout Eric Mouton (Color) providing commentary. Live results will available at CajunStats.com.

Louisiana (7-11, 2-5 Sun Belt), which was down to seven scholarship players for games at Georgia State and Georgia Southern after the loss to freshman Mylik Wilson, plays its next three games at home beginning with UT Arlington (6-12, 2-5 Sun Belt) before hosting Texas State on Saturday and in-state foe ULM on Jan. 25.

The Ragin' Cajuns claimed an 81-73 victory at Appalachian State on Jan. 6 behind a career-high 30 points from Wilson, one of two freshman nationally averaging 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals per game. Jalen Johnson leads Louisiana in both scoring (14.2) and rebounds (6.6) per game with Cedric Russell (13.1) averaging in double figures.

Dou Gueye averages 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Ragin' Cajuns with Tirus Smith (7.1 averaging 7.1 points and 4.5 boards.

UTA, picked to finish second in the Sun Belt Preseason Poll, dropped two of three games last week at home, falling to South Alabama and Coastal Carolina. The Mavs claimed a 66-56 win over Appalachian State last Thursday.
David Azore (16.1 ppg.) and Brian Warren (13.3) are the top two scorers for the Mavericks, who have dropped eight of their last 10 games.

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.

GAME INFORMATION
LOUISIANA (7-11, 2-5 Sun Belt) vs. UT ARLINGTON (6-12, 2-5 Sun Belt)
Date / Time: January 16, 2020 / 7 p.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)

RADIO/TV
Radio: KHXT FM 107.9 / ESPN 1420 AM
Talent: Jay Walker (PxP)
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Cody Junot (PxP), Eric Mouton (Color)

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

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Louisiana leads, 21-9
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 11-3
In Arlington: Louisiana leads, 9-5
Neutral Sites: Tied, 1-1
Streak: Louisiana +1

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 181-135 (10th season), Career Record: 529-301 (27th season)

UT ARLINGTON
Head Coach: Chris Ogden (Texas, 2004)
Record at UTA: 23-28 (second season), Career Record: Same

STORY LINES
• With 103 career wins in Sun Belt Conference play, head coach Bob Marlin is tied for fourth-place in league history with former Arkansas State coach Dickey Nutt.
• Louisiana injury-riddled roster has used seven different starting lineups in its first 18 games of the 2019-20 season.
• On the season, injuries have cost players on the 2019-20 roster a combined total of 46 games.
• Louisiana's injured players who are currently out in 2019-20 (Kobe Julien, Trajan Wesley, P.J. Hardy, Mylik Wilson, Javonne Lowery) have accounted for a combined average of 32 points per game.
• Louisiana has won 11 of 14 meetings against UT Arlington in Lafayette and the last three overall at the Cajundome.
• Louisiana is 7-1 overall when scoring 70 points or more this season.
• Cedric Russell's 158 career 3-pointers is four behind former Ragin' Cajuns standout Kasey Shepherd (2012-16) for sixth place on the school's career list.

QUICK HITS
• The Ragin' Cajuns have lost three scholarship players (Kobe Julien, Durey Cadwell and Javonne Lowery) for the season to knee injuries with senior P.J. Hardy (ankle) missing the last seven games.
• Louisiana returns 26.7 percent of its scoring (700 points) and 15.8 percent of its rebounds (181) from the 2018-19 campaign.
• Louisiana is 7-2 overall on the season when shooting above 41 percent from the floor.
• The Ragin' Cajuns have earned wins this season over McNeese (11/9), Southeastern Louisiana (12/3), Troy (1/4) and Appalachian State (1/6) after trailing by double-digits.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 0-3 when playing on Thursday during the 2019-20 season.
• Louisiana is ranked 31st nationally in free throws made (270) and is 42nd in free throws attempted (378).
• Junior Tirus Smith is tied for second in Sun Belt Conference games in blocks per game (1.7).
• Freshman Mylik Wilson is 20th nationally in both total steals (39) steals per game (2.4).
• Wilson is one of 13 Division I players, and one of two freshman, who is averaging 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 assists per game.
• With his 400th win as a Division I coach on Nov. 5 against Loyola, Marlin became the 35th active NCAA Division I coach - and 224th overall in NCAA Division I history - to reach that mark.
• Junior Dou Gueye is the third player from Senegal in Ragin' Cajuns history - Vieux Kande (2013-15) and Khadim Kandji (2001-03).

Back At Home! Ragin' Cajuns Host UT Arlington On Thursday

Players Mentioned

Durey Cadwell

Dou Gueye

P.J. Hardy

Jalen Johnson

Kobe Julien

Vieux Kande

Javonne Lowery

Cedric Russell

Kasey Shepherd

Tirus Smith

Trajan Wesley

Mylik Wilson

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