Louisiana Faces Georgia Southern In Second Round of Sun Belt Championships

STATESBORO, Ga. – Coming off a 73-66 win over Arkansas State in its opening game of the 2020 Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Championships, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns hit the road when it faces fifth-seeded Georgia Southern in a second round game at Hanner Fieldhouse.

Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. The game can be heard in the Lafayette area on KHXT 107.9 FM, RaginCajuns.com and the Hot 107.9 mobile app with Jay Walker on the call. The game will also be available on ESPN+ with Greg Talbott (Play-By-Play) and Daniel Waugh (Color) providing commentary.

Live stats will be available at CajunStats.com.

Eighth-seeded Louisiana (14-18) erased an early deficit before withstanding a late Arkansas State rally on Saturday at the Cajundome. Mylik Wilson and Jalen Johnson each posted double-doubles for the Ragin' Cajuns with Wilson posting game-highs with 17 points and 12 rebounds with Johnson finishing with 16 points and 10 boards.

Georgia Southern (18-13) earned a first-round bye and opens play in the Sun Belt Conference after dropping a 76-75 decision to Arkansas State last Tuesday.

The Eagles claimed both games in the regular-season series against Louisiana, with Ike Smith and Quan Jackson combining for 48 points in the most recent contest on Feb. 8 at the Cajundome. Georgia Southern won the first meeting in Statesboro on Jan. 11, 71-51, as a short-handed Louisiana squad posted season-lows in both points and field goal percentage (28.6 percent).

The winner of Monday's game will travel to Atlanta to face fourth-seeded Georgia State in a quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday at 6 p.m., CT, at the GSU Sports Arena.

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 (14-18) at GEORGIA SOUTHERN (18-13)
Date / Time: March 9, 2020 / 6 p.m. CT
Site: Statesboro, Ga.
Arena: Hanner Fieldhouse (3,987)

RADIO/TV
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM
Talent: Jay Walker (PxP)
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Greg Talbott (PxP), Daniel Waugh (Color)

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

SERIES HISTORY
Overall: Series tied, 7-7
In Lafayette: Series tied, 4-4
In Statesboro: Series tied, 3-3
Streak: Georgia Southern +3

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 188-141 (10th season), Career Record: 536-307 (27th season)

GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Head Coach: Mark Byington (UNC Wilmington, 1998)
Record at GS: 129-97 (seventh season), Career Record: 136-101 (eighth season)

STORY LINES
• Louisiana will look to reach the quarterfinals of the Sun Belt Conference Championships when it faces fifth-seeded Georgia Southern at Hanner Fieldhouse.
• The winner of Monday's game will travel up the road to Atlanta to face No. 4-seeded Georgia State on Wednesday (March 11) at 6 p.m. CT.
• Louisiana plays its first Sun Belt postseason game on an opponent's home court since March 7, 1994 when it defeated Western Kentucky, 78-72, in the championship game at E.A. Diddle Arena.
• Georgia Southern swept the season-series beginning with a 71-51 win over a short-handed Louisiana squad on Jan. 11 in Statesboro. The Eagles earned an 86-79 win over the Ragin' Cajuns on Feb. 8 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's 16 3-pointers against Coastal Carolina on March 3 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.
• In Sun Belt Conference games, Wilson's 5.3 defensive rebound average was second among all players behind Little Rock's Ruot Monyyong (8.2).
• Wilson leads all Sun Belt Conference freshmen in scoring (11.6), rebounds (5.7), steals (2.4) and minutes played (34.2).
• Wilson is 11th nationally in steals per game (2.4) and 14th in total steals (68).
• 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 13-4 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 102 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 28th among Division I schools in free throws made (502) and 47th nationally in free throw attempts (676).
• 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.

Louisiana Faces Georgia Southern In Second Round of Sun Belt Championships

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Players Mentioned

Jalen Johnson

Malik Marquetti

Cedric Russell

Mylik Wilson

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