University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, March 7
Lafayette
11 a.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
Arkansas State
Ragin' Cajuns, Red Wolves Officially Tip Off Sun Belt Basketball Championships
3/6/2020 3:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Teams square off in first game of tournament; winner to face Georgia Southern on Monday
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Men's Basketball team officially tips off the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Championships on Saturday when it entertains Arkansas State in a first round game at the Cajundome.
Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. The game can be heard in the Lafayette area on KPEL 96.5 FM, RaginCajuns.com and the KPEL 96.5 mobile app with Steve Peloquin on the call. The game will also be available on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (Play-By-Play) and Eric Mouton (Color) providing commentary.
Live stats will be available at CajunStats.com.
Reserved courtside tickets in the first four rows are $15 and include access to the premium courtside clubs. Tickets in rows five and above are $10. Additional fees may apply. Purchases can be made online, over the phone by calling (337) 265-2170, or at the Cajundome Box Office.
Parking lots at the Cajundome will open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Regular-season parking rules and regulations will still apply. RCAF investors are able and encouraged to use their parking passes.
Louisiana (13-18), the No. 8 seed in the 10-team field, earned a first-round home game after rallying from a 16-point deficit to defeat Coastal Carolina, 108-101, on Tuesday. The Ragin' Cajuns tied a single-game, school-record with 16 3-pointers while its 108 points were the most in a Sun Belt Conference game since scoring 110 against Western Kentucky in 2004.
Jalen Johnson (15.3 ppg.), Cedric Russell (14.2 ppg.) and Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Mylik Wilson (11.4 ppg.) are Louisiana's top scorers with senior P.J. Hardy (11.1) and Dou Gueye (8.5) following.
Johnson paces Louisiana with 6.6 rebounds per game while Trajan Wesley (3.3) tops the team in assists and Wilson (2.4) in steals.
Ninth-seeded Arkansas State (16-15) snapped an eight-game losing streak on Tuesday as it rallied from a 12-point deficit and defeated Georgia Southern, 76-75. Marquis Eaton, a third-team All-Sun Belt pick, scored 17 points for the Red Wolves and leads the team in scoring (13.5 ppg.).
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
No. 8 LOUISIANA (13-18) vs. No. 9 ARKANSAS STATE (16-15)
Date / Time: March 7, 2020 / 11 a.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)
RADIO/TV
Radio: KPEL 96.5 FM
Talent: Steve Peloquin (PxP)
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Dan McDonald (PxP), Eric Mouton (Color)
LIVE STATS/SOCIAL MEDIA
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsMBB | #GeauxCajuns
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Louisiana leads, 54-27
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 32-9
In Jonesboro: Louisiana leads, 21-18
Neutral: Louisiana leads, 1-0
Streak: Louisiana +1
THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 187-141 (10th season), Career Record: 535-307 (27th season)
ARKANSAS STATE
Head Coach: Mike Balado (St. Thomas [Fla.], 1998)
Record at A-State: 40-55 (third season), Career Record: Same
STORY LINES
• Louisiana and Arkansas State will officially tip off the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Championships with a first-round game at the Cajundome.
• The winner of Saturday's game will travel to face No. 5-seeded Georgia Southern on Monday (March 9) at 6 p.m. CT.
• Louisiana and Arkansas State have met once in the Sun Belt Championships with the Ragin' Cajuns claiming a 74-59 victory in the 2002 quarterfinals in New Orleans.
• The teams split the season-series with A-State earning a 79-67 victory in Jonesboro on Dec. 18, 2019 before Louisiana rallied from a 15-point deficit to claim a 77-74 win over the Red Wolves on Feb. 26 at the Cajundome.
• Louisiana is a No. 8 seed for the third time as a Sun Belt Conference member and the first since 2013 when it reached the quarterfinals (see p. 8)
QUICK HITS
• Louisiana has lost its last four Sun Belt Conference Tournament games played at the Cajundome since an 81-65 victory over Lamar in the 1998 semifinals.
• A win by Louisiana would be its 10th victory at the Cajundome in 2019-20, marking the 10th time in the past 11 years to win 10 or more games in the Cajundome in a season and 11 straight years overall.
• Louisiana's 16 3-pointers against Coastal Carolina on Tuesday tied a single-game, school-record that was set twice previously: vs. Centenary (12/13/14) and Savannah State (11/17/17).
• The 108 points scored by the Ragin' Cajuns against Coastal were the most in a Sun Belt Conference game this season and was Louisiana's first 100-point game since a 122-90 win over Prairie View on Dec. 11, 2018.
• Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Mylik Wilson is one of 10 Division I players, and the only freshman, averaging 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals per game.
• Wilson leads all Sun Belt Conference freshmen in scoring (11.4), rebounds (5.5), steals (2.4) and minutes played (34.0).
• Wilson is 10th nationally in steals per game (2.4) and 16th in total steals (65).
• Wilson is second nationally among Division I freshmen in total steals trailing national leader Juvaris Hayes (121) of Merrimack.
• Louisiana has earned wins this season over McNeese (11/9), Southeastern Louisiana (12/3), Troy (1/4), Appalachian State (1/6), Georgia State (2/6), Arkansas State (2/26) and Coastal Carolina (3/3) after trailing by double-digits.
• Louisiana has rallied to win five Sun Belt games after trailing by double digits - the most of any school in 2019-20.
• Louisiana is 12-4 overall when scoring 70 points or more this season.
• On the season, injuries have cost players on the 2019-20 roster a combined total of 99 games.
• With 109 career wins in Sun Belt Conference play, head coach Bob Marlin is fourth in league history and is two wins shy of tying former UAB coach Gene Bartow for third place.
• Cedric Russell's seven 3-pointers against South Alabama on Feb. 13 were the most by a Ragin' Cajun since Malik Marquetti went 7-for-11 from long range at McNeese State on Dec. 18, 2019.
• Louisiana is ranked 35th among Division I schools in free throws made (480) and 55th nationally in free throw attempts (649).
• Louisiana 19-for-20 performance from the free throw line against Georgia State on Feb. 6 was its second-highest percentage (.950) of the season. The Ragin' Cajuns were 13-for-13 against Texas State on Jan. 18.
• Louisiana's injury-riddled roster has used 13 different starting lineups during the 2019-20 season.
• Louisiana is 5-5 in games decided by six points or less.
Tipoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. The game can be heard in the Lafayette area on KPEL 96.5 FM, RaginCajuns.com and the KPEL 96.5 mobile app with Steve Peloquin on the call. The game will also be available on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (Play-By-Play) and Eric Mouton (Color) providing commentary.
Live stats will be available at CajunStats.com.
Reserved courtside tickets in the first four rows are $15 and include access to the premium courtside clubs. Tickets in rows five and above are $10. Additional fees may apply. Purchases can be made online, over the phone by calling (337) 265-2170, or at the Cajundome Box Office.
Parking lots at the Cajundome will open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Regular-season parking rules and regulations will still apply. RCAF investors are able and encouraged to use their parking passes.
Louisiana (13-18), the No. 8 seed in the 10-team field, earned a first-round home game after rallying from a 16-point deficit to defeat Coastal Carolina, 108-101, on Tuesday. The Ragin' Cajuns tied a single-game, school-record with 16 3-pointers while its 108 points were the most in a Sun Belt Conference game since scoring 110 against Western Kentucky in 2004.
Jalen Johnson (15.3 ppg.), Cedric Russell (14.2 ppg.) and Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Mylik Wilson (11.4 ppg.) are Louisiana's top scorers with senior P.J. Hardy (11.1) and Dou Gueye (8.5) following.
Johnson paces Louisiana with 6.6 rebounds per game while Trajan Wesley (3.3) tops the team in assists and Wilson (2.4) in steals.
Ninth-seeded Arkansas State (16-15) snapped an eight-game losing streak on Tuesday as it rallied from a 12-point deficit and defeated Georgia Southern, 76-75. Marquis Eaton, a third-team All-Sun Belt pick, scored 17 points for the Red Wolves and leads the team in scoring (13.5 ppg.).
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
No. 8 LOUISIANA (13-18) vs. No. 9 ARKANSAS STATE (16-15)
Date / Time: March 7, 2020 / 11 a.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)
RADIO/TV
Radio: KPEL 96.5 FM
Talent: Steve Peloquin (PxP)
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Dan McDonald (PxP), Eric Mouton (Color)
LIVE STATS/SOCIAL MEDIA
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsMBB | #GeauxCajuns
SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Louisiana leads, 54-27
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 32-9
In Jonesboro: Louisiana leads, 21-18
Neutral: Louisiana leads, 1-0
Streak: Louisiana +1
THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 187-141 (10th season), Career Record: 535-307 (27th season)
ARKANSAS STATE
Head Coach: Mike Balado (St. Thomas [Fla.], 1998)
Record at A-State: 40-55 (third season), Career Record: Same
STORY LINES
• Louisiana and Arkansas State will officially tip off the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Championships with a first-round game at the Cajundome.
• The winner of Saturday's game will travel to face No. 5-seeded Georgia Southern on Monday (March 9) at 6 p.m. CT.
• Louisiana and Arkansas State have met once in the Sun Belt Championships with the Ragin' Cajuns claiming a 74-59 victory in the 2002 quarterfinals in New Orleans.
• The teams split the season-series with A-State earning a 79-67 victory in Jonesboro on Dec. 18, 2019 before Louisiana rallied from a 15-point deficit to claim a 77-74 win over the Red Wolves on Feb. 26 at the Cajundome.
• Louisiana is a No. 8 seed for the third time as a Sun Belt Conference member and the first since 2013 when it reached the quarterfinals (see p. 8)
QUICK HITS
• Louisiana has lost its last four Sun Belt Conference Tournament games played at the Cajundome since an 81-65 victory over Lamar in the 1998 semifinals.
• A win by Louisiana would be its 10th victory at the Cajundome in 2019-20, marking the 10th time in the past 11 years to win 10 or more games in the Cajundome in a season and 11 straight years overall.
• Louisiana's 16 3-pointers against Coastal Carolina on Tuesday tied a single-game, school-record that was set twice previously: vs. Centenary (12/13/14) and Savannah State (11/17/17).
• The 108 points scored by the Ragin' Cajuns against Coastal were the most in a Sun Belt Conference game this season and was Louisiana's first 100-point game since a 122-90 win over Prairie View on Dec. 11, 2018.
• Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Mylik Wilson is one of 10 Division I players, and the only freshman, averaging 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals per game.
• Wilson leads all Sun Belt Conference freshmen in scoring (11.4), rebounds (5.5), steals (2.4) and minutes played (34.0).
• Wilson is 10th nationally in steals per game (2.4) and 16th in total steals (65).
• Wilson is second nationally among Division I freshmen in total steals trailing national leader Juvaris Hayes (121) of Merrimack.
• Louisiana has earned wins this season over McNeese (11/9), Southeastern Louisiana (12/3), Troy (1/4), Appalachian State (1/6), Georgia State (2/6), Arkansas State (2/26) and Coastal Carolina (3/3) after trailing by double-digits.
• Louisiana has rallied to win five Sun Belt games after trailing by double digits - the most of any school in 2019-20.
• Louisiana is 12-4 overall when scoring 70 points or more this season.
• On the season, injuries have cost players on the 2019-20 roster a combined total of 99 games.
• With 109 career wins in Sun Belt Conference play, head coach Bob Marlin is fourth in league history and is two wins shy of tying former UAB coach Gene Bartow for third place.
• Cedric Russell's seven 3-pointers against South Alabama on Feb. 13 were the most by a Ragin' Cajun since Malik Marquetti went 7-for-11 from long range at McNeese State on Dec. 18, 2019.
• Louisiana is ranked 35th among Division I schools in free throws made (480) and 55th nationally in free throw attempts (649).
• Louisiana 19-for-20 performance from the free throw line against Georgia State on Feb. 6 was its second-highest percentage (.950) of the season. The Ragin' Cajuns were 13-for-13 against Texas State on Jan. 18.
• Louisiana's injury-riddled roster has used 13 different starting lineups during the 2019-20 season.
• Louisiana is 5-5 in games decided by six points or less.
Players Mentioned
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