University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, January 20
Mobile, Ala.
3 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
88
at
79
South Alabama
Cajuns Continue to Roll with Third Straight Road Win
1/20/2024 7:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Kobe Julien led the team with 24 points while Hosana Kitenge recorded his first double-double
MOBILE, Alabama – The Louisiana men's basketball team is starting to heat up as they picked up their third consecutive victory, all on the road, by defeating South Alabama 88-79 on Saturday in the Mitchell Center. The Ragin' Cajuns now return to the Cajundome for a six-game homestand.
Kobe Julien led the Cajuns with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. The junior scored the 900th point of his Cajun career in the second half and looks to become the 51st player in program history to reach 1,000 points during the homestand.
Joe Charles scored 21 of his 22 points in the second half. The junior finished 7-of-9 from the field with nine rebounds, three steals, and a pair of blocks. Hosana Kitenge recorded his first double-double as a Cajun with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He also dished out three assists and had a pair of steals. Kentrell Garnett finished with 14 points and a season-high five rebounds.
Louisiana (11-8, 4-3 SBC) dominated the boards, outrebounding the Jags (10-9, 3-4 SBC) 39-22. On the offensive side, the Cajuns had 16 rebounds and outscored the home team 15-4 in second-chance points. Louisiana got to the free throw line more than their opponent for just the second time this season, last doing so in the season opener against Youngstown State.
Out of the gates, it looked like the winning streak might be in jeopardy as the Jaguars took a 7-0 lead just 85 seconds into the game. Julien ended the run with a three and sparked a 9-0 run by the Cajuns. Kitenge made a pair of baskets and Themus Fulks connected on a layup and put Louisiana ahead.
From there both offenses settled in with neither side giving an inch. With just under six minutes to play in the half and trailing 25-21, London Fields made a putback to get the Cajuns back within a possession. Kitenge tied the score with a bucket and Julien followed with a pair of free throws to retake the lead at 27-25. After a free throw by Charles, Michael Thomas got in on the action with a layup to cap a 9-0 run, putting Louisiana ahead by five.
A three later in the half by Garnett pushed the lead to six before the Jags battled back and sent the game into the locker room with the Cajuns ahead 37-34.
The Jags cut the Cajun lead to just two early in the second half but Julien righted the ship with a three-point play. After forcing a 10-second violation on the defensive end, Charles connected on a three for an eight-point lead. A putback by Charles moments later pushed the lead to double digits at 51-41 and forced a timeout by South Alabama.
After the timeout, the Jags bounced back and trimmed the Cajun lead to four, but a Kitenge layup and another Charles three pushed the lead back to nine. Julien capped a seven-point swing with a layup and the Cajuns were ahead 60-49.
The home side refused to go away and cut the lead to three on an 11-3 run, but a three-point play by Garnett made it a two-possession game. Kitenge finished a three-point play on the following possession and Charles scored the next seven Cajun points to make it 76-64 with 5:20 to play.
The Jags chipped away at the Cajun lead once again and made it a four-point game with 90 seconds to go. Garnett ended any chance of a home comeback with a three on the next possession and Fulks iced the game with a pair of free throws.
The Cajuns are back at home in the Cajundome for the next three weeks. They open a six-game homestand on Thursday, January 25 against Arkansas State. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. against the Red Wolves, who the Cajuns defeated last Saturday 84-77 to begin their win streak.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Season tickets are available by visiting the Louisiana Athletics Box Office at the Cajundome, or by purchasing by visiting Account Manager. For more information call the Louisiana Athletics Box Office at the Cajundome at (337) 265-2104.
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
For the latest on Louisiana Men's Basketball, stay tuned to RaginCajuns.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (RaginCajunsMBB).
Kobe Julien led the Cajuns with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. The junior scored the 900th point of his Cajun career in the second half and looks to become the 51st player in program history to reach 1,000 points during the homestand.
Joe Charles scored 21 of his 22 points in the second half. The junior finished 7-of-9 from the field with nine rebounds, three steals, and a pair of blocks. Hosana Kitenge recorded his first double-double as a Cajun with 17 points and 11 rebounds. He also dished out three assists and had a pair of steals. Kentrell Garnett finished with 14 points and a season-high five rebounds.
Louisiana (11-8, 4-3 SBC) dominated the boards, outrebounding the Jags (10-9, 3-4 SBC) 39-22. On the offensive side, the Cajuns had 16 rebounds and outscored the home team 15-4 in second-chance points. Louisiana got to the free throw line more than their opponent for just the second time this season, last doing so in the season opener against Youngstown State.
Out of the gates, it looked like the winning streak might be in jeopardy as the Jaguars took a 7-0 lead just 85 seconds into the game. Julien ended the run with a three and sparked a 9-0 run by the Cajuns. Kitenge made a pair of baskets and Themus Fulks connected on a layup and put Louisiana ahead.
From there both offenses settled in with neither side giving an inch. With just under six minutes to play in the half and trailing 25-21, London Fields made a putback to get the Cajuns back within a possession. Kitenge tied the score with a bucket and Julien followed with a pair of free throws to retake the lead at 27-25. After a free throw by Charles, Michael Thomas got in on the action with a layup to cap a 9-0 run, putting Louisiana ahead by five.
A three later in the half by Garnett pushed the lead to six before the Jags battled back and sent the game into the locker room with the Cajuns ahead 37-34.
The Jags cut the Cajun lead to just two early in the second half but Julien righted the ship with a three-point play. After forcing a 10-second violation on the defensive end, Charles connected on a three for an eight-point lead. A putback by Charles moments later pushed the lead to double digits at 51-41 and forced a timeout by South Alabama.
After the timeout, the Jags bounced back and trimmed the Cajun lead to four, but a Kitenge layup and another Charles three pushed the lead back to nine. Julien capped a seven-point swing with a layup and the Cajuns were ahead 60-49.
The home side refused to go away and cut the lead to three on an 11-3 run, but a three-point play by Garnett made it a two-possession game. Kitenge finished a three-point play on the following possession and Charles scored the next seven Cajun points to make it 76-64 with 5:20 to play.
The Jags chipped away at the Cajun lead once again and made it a four-point game with 90 seconds to go. Garnett ended any chance of a home comeback with a three on the next possession and Fulks iced the game with a pair of free throws.
The Cajuns are back at home in the Cajundome for the next three weeks. They open a six-game homestand on Thursday, January 25 against Arkansas State. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. against the Red Wolves, who the Cajuns defeated last Saturday 84-77 to begin their win streak.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Season tickets are available by visiting the Louisiana Athletics Box Office at the Cajundome, or by purchasing by visiting Account Manager. For more information call the Louisiana Athletics Box Office at the Cajundome at (337) 265-2104.
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
For the latest on Louisiana Men's Basketball, stay tuned to RaginCajuns.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (RaginCajunsMBB).
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballQuannas White Media Availability (May 4, 2025)
Monday, May 05
Quannas White Introductory Press Conference
Sunday, March 16
Derrick Zimmerman Media Availability (Feb 24, 2025)
Monday, February 24
Derrick Zimmerman Media Availability (Feb 17, 2025)
Monday, February 17
