University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Thursday, January 13
Arlington, Texas
7:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
UT Arlington
Louisiana Men’s Basketball Continues Conference Play against UT Arlington
1/12/2022 6:57:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana Men's Basketball will begin its second Sun Belt Conference road trip of the 2021-22 campaign against UT Arlington 7 p.m. Thursday at the College Park Center. The contest will be available to be streamed live on ESPN+.
Last week Louisiana prevailed over Arkansas State in overtime, 83-77 to improve to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
The Ragin' Cajuns were slated to face Little Rock on Saturday night, but the Trojans were unable to compete due to COVID-19 issues within the program.
Louisiana earned Thursday's victory despite the absence of Jordan Brown, the team's leading scorer.
The Ragin' Cajuns received a late offensive push from junior guard Trajan Wesley to force the extra period and Theo Akwuba tallied a pair of baskets in overtime to seal the victory.
Akwuba led the way and finished with a team-high 16 points and 15 rebounds in the win.
Louisianan is one of just two teams in the country with two 16+ point and 15+ rebound performers this year as Brown accomplished the feat on Dec. 8 against McNeese.
On Monday, second-year walk-on guard Kentrell Garnett was awarded a scholarship. Garnett is averaging 8.5 points per game this season and had started nine games at point guard.
The Donaldsonville, La. native has torched opponents behind the arc this season, ranking fourth in the nation in 3-point percentage at 50.9% and third in the Sun Belt with 2.5 makes per game.
The Ragin' Cajuns held Arkansas State to just 28 percent shooting from beyond the arc. On the season, Louisiana ranks first in the Sun Belt holding opponents to just 27.3 percent from 3-point range.
In Thursday's victory, the Ragin' Cajuns crossed the 80 point threshold for the fifth time this season. Since the 2013-14 season, Louisiana has scored 80+ points 131 times which ranks ninth in the country during the span.
Offensively, the Ragin' Cajuns have displayed an up-tempo style of offense this season and are 24th in the nation with 73.0 possessions per 40 minutes according to KenPom.
SERIES NOTES
Thursday will mark the 36th meeting between the two programs as Louisiana leads the all-time series 24-11. Louisiana won two of three matchups between the teams last season.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: UT Arlington
UT Arlington enters the game with a 7-8 record after defeating preseason conference favorite Georgia State on Thursday and falling in overtime to Georgia Southern on Saturday. The Mavericks are led by graduate guard David Azore who leads the team with 17.2 points per game and was a Sun Belt Second Team performer a season ago.
BENCH MOB
Louisiana's roster depth has shown through its early-season schedule. The Ragin' Cajuns have garnered 30 or more points from their reserves on four separate occasions, including a season-high 41-point output against Jackson State (Nov. 27).
Louisiana's bench has scored 24 or more points on eight separate occasions and has outscored its opponents' reserves on six occasions during the 2021-22 season.
PLAYER TO WATCH: GREG WILLIAMS, JR.
After missing two games due to injury, junior guard Greg Williams, Jr. returned to the lineup against Arkansas State and tallied 11 points in 27 minutes including a clutch bucket in overtime to aid Louisiana's victory. The Lafayette, La. native scored a season-high 18 points against Marshall (Nov. 23) and Southern Miss. (Nov. 21).
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.
Last week Louisiana prevailed over Arkansas State in overtime, 83-77 to improve to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
The Ragin' Cajuns were slated to face Little Rock on Saturday night, but the Trojans were unable to compete due to COVID-19 issues within the program.
Louisiana earned Thursday's victory despite the absence of Jordan Brown, the team's leading scorer.
The Ragin' Cajuns received a late offensive push from junior guard Trajan Wesley to force the extra period and Theo Akwuba tallied a pair of baskets in overtime to seal the victory.
Akwuba led the way and finished with a team-high 16 points and 15 rebounds in the win.
Louisianan is one of just two teams in the country with two 16+ point and 15+ rebound performers this year as Brown accomplished the feat on Dec. 8 against McNeese.
On Monday, second-year walk-on guard Kentrell Garnett was awarded a scholarship. Garnett is averaging 8.5 points per game this season and had started nine games at point guard.
The Donaldsonville, La. native has torched opponents behind the arc this season, ranking fourth in the nation in 3-point percentage at 50.9% and third in the Sun Belt with 2.5 makes per game.
The Ragin' Cajuns held Arkansas State to just 28 percent shooting from beyond the arc. On the season, Louisiana ranks first in the Sun Belt holding opponents to just 27.3 percent from 3-point range.
In Thursday's victory, the Ragin' Cajuns crossed the 80 point threshold for the fifth time this season. Since the 2013-14 season, Louisiana has scored 80+ points 131 times which ranks ninth in the country during the span.
Offensively, the Ragin' Cajuns have displayed an up-tempo style of offense this season and are 24th in the nation with 73.0 possessions per 40 minutes according to KenPom.
SERIES NOTES
Thursday will mark the 36th meeting between the two programs as Louisiana leads the all-time series 24-11. Louisiana won two of three matchups between the teams last season.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: UT Arlington
UT Arlington enters the game with a 7-8 record after defeating preseason conference favorite Georgia State on Thursday and falling in overtime to Georgia Southern on Saturday. The Mavericks are led by graduate guard David Azore who leads the team with 17.2 points per game and was a Sun Belt Second Team performer a season ago.
BENCH MOB
Louisiana's roster depth has shown through its early-season schedule. The Ragin' Cajuns have garnered 30 or more points from their reserves on four separate occasions, including a season-high 41-point output against Jackson State (Nov. 27).
Louisiana's bench has scored 24 or more points on eight separate occasions and has outscored its opponents' reserves on six occasions during the 2021-22 season.
PLAYER TO WATCH: GREG WILLIAMS, JR.
After missing two games due to injury, junior guard Greg Williams, Jr. returned to the lineup against Arkansas State and tallied 11 points in 27 minutes including a clutch bucket in overtime to aid Louisiana's victory. The Lafayette, La. native scored a season-high 18 points against Marshall (Nov. 23) and Southern Miss. (Nov. 21).
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.
Players Mentioned
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