University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Thursday, December 30
Boone, N.C.
5:30 p.m. (CST)
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
App State
Louisiana Men’s Basketball to Open Conference Play at App State on Thursday
12/29/2021 8:26:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Men's Basketball begins Sun Belt Conference play at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday when it faces App State in Boone, N.C. The Ragin' Cajuns will then travel to Conway, S.C. on Saturday to complete the opening weekend slate against Coastal Carolina at 1 p.m. Both contests will be available to be streamed live on ESPN+.
Louisiana is wrapping up a 16-day holiday break after a Dec. 20 meeting with Loyola (La.), the team's final non-conference matchup, was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Wolf Pack's program.
The Ragin' Cajuns finished their noncon schedule at 5-5 with notable victories over Southern Miss. And McNeese.
Entering conference play this season, Louisiana is 287-206 all-time against Sun Belt opponents.
Sophomore transfer Jordan Brown has headlined the team's offensive production this season. Brown, the reigning Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year, ranks eighth in the Sun Belt with 14.1 points per game.
The Roseville, Calif. native has posted several dominant stat lines including double-double tallies against McNeese (16 points, 16 rebounds) and Houston (13 points, 14 rebounds). Brown also recorded a career and season-high 30 points against La. Tech on Dec. 11.
Junior forward Theo Akwuba returns to the lineup after missing the last four games with an injury. Akwuba, the reigning conference player of the year was averaging 10.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks before being sidelined.
Walk-on Kentrell Garnett has provided the Ragin' Cajuns with a deep-range threat through the opening 10 games. Garnett ranks third in the nation and first in the Sun Belt with 53.1 3-point percentage. The Donaldsonville, La. native also ranks second in the conference with 2.6 3-pointers a game.
App State begins conference play with a 6-7 record. The Mountaineers are on a two-game skid with back-to-back road losses to No. 2 Duke and North Carolina.
Senior guard Andrian Delph leads the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game. Delph was a Third Team All-Sun Belt selection a season ago.
The western division foe was picked fourth in the conference preseason poll released in October.
Coastal Carolina sits a 7-4 on the season and will open its conference schedule with ULM on Thursday. The Chanticleers are paced by redshirt-sophomore center Mostafa Essam who averages 17.1 points per game. Essam was selected to the preseason All-Sun Belt preseason Third Team.
SERIES NOTES
The conference opener will mark the 12th meeting between the programs with Louisiana leading the all-time series 9-2. The Ragin' Cajuns are 5-1 in Boone, N.C., including an 81-73 victory last season.
Saturday will be the fifth meeting between the Ragin' Cajuns and the Chanticleers with Louisiana leading the series 5-1.
PLAY FAST
According to KenPom, the Ragin' Cajuns rank 14th in the nation and first in the Sun Belt in adjusted tempo this season, earning 73.4 possessions per game.
PLAYER TO WATCH: THEO AKWUBA
Akwuba returns to the Louisiana lineup after being sidelined for four games with an injury. The Montgomery, Ala. native is averaging 10.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. The reigning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List prior to the season.
LOUISIANA LEGACY
Louisiana's 2021-22 roster features two second-generation talents in Julien and Brown. Julien's father Wayne was with the program from 1976-81 and was a member of 1977 Southland Conference championship team.
Louisiana is wrapping up a 16-day holiday break after a Dec. 20 meeting with Loyola (La.), the team's final non-conference matchup, was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Wolf Pack's program.
The Ragin' Cajuns finished their noncon schedule at 5-5 with notable victories over Southern Miss. And McNeese.
Entering conference play this season, Louisiana is 287-206 all-time against Sun Belt opponents.
Sophomore transfer Jordan Brown has headlined the team's offensive production this season. Brown, the reigning Pac-12 Sixth Man of the Year, ranks eighth in the Sun Belt with 14.1 points per game.
The Roseville, Calif. native has posted several dominant stat lines including double-double tallies against McNeese (16 points, 16 rebounds) and Houston (13 points, 14 rebounds). Brown also recorded a career and season-high 30 points against La. Tech on Dec. 11.
Junior forward Theo Akwuba returns to the lineup after missing the last four games with an injury. Akwuba, the reigning conference player of the year was averaging 10.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks before being sidelined.
Walk-on Kentrell Garnett has provided the Ragin' Cajuns with a deep-range threat through the opening 10 games. Garnett ranks third in the nation and first in the Sun Belt with 53.1 3-point percentage. The Donaldsonville, La. native also ranks second in the conference with 2.6 3-pointers a game.
App State begins conference play with a 6-7 record. The Mountaineers are on a two-game skid with back-to-back road losses to No. 2 Duke and North Carolina.
Senior guard Andrian Delph leads the team in scoring with 14.9 points per game. Delph was a Third Team All-Sun Belt selection a season ago.
The western division foe was picked fourth in the conference preseason poll released in October.
Coastal Carolina sits a 7-4 on the season and will open its conference schedule with ULM on Thursday. The Chanticleers are paced by redshirt-sophomore center Mostafa Essam who averages 17.1 points per game. Essam was selected to the preseason All-Sun Belt preseason Third Team.
SERIES NOTES
The conference opener will mark the 12th meeting between the programs with Louisiana leading the all-time series 9-2. The Ragin' Cajuns are 5-1 in Boone, N.C., including an 81-73 victory last season.
Saturday will be the fifth meeting between the Ragin' Cajuns and the Chanticleers with Louisiana leading the series 5-1.
PLAY FAST
According to KenPom, the Ragin' Cajuns rank 14th in the nation and first in the Sun Belt in adjusted tempo this season, earning 73.4 possessions per game.
PLAYER TO WATCH: THEO AKWUBA
Akwuba returns to the Louisiana lineup after being sidelined for four games with an injury. The Montgomery, Ala. native is averaging 10.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. The reigning Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List prior to the season.
LOUISIANA LEGACY
Louisiana's 2021-22 roster features two second-generation talents in Julien and Brown. Julien's father Wayne was with the program from 1976-81 and was a member of 1977 Southland Conference championship team.
Dion Brown lettered for the Ragin' Cajuns from 1980-84 and finished his career as one of the top scorers and rebounders in school history. Brown, a 1984 graduate of UL, earned All-Southland Conference honors in 1982 and was a two-time All-Louisiana selection.
He finished his career with 1,412 points and 926 rebounds (then second in school history) and helped then-USL to the championship of the 1982 Great Alaskan Shootout where he was named to the All-Tournament team.
He finished his career with 1,412 points and 926 rebounds (then second in school history) and helped then-USL to the championship of the 1982 Great Alaskan Shootout where he was named to the All-Tournament team.
Players Mentioned
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