University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, February 17
Boone, N.C.
3:30 p.m. (CST)
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
17-10,9-5Sun Belt
73
at
85
Appalachian State
22-5,12-2Sun Belt
1
2
F
Louisiana
39
34
73
App State
37
48
85
Louisiana Goes Cold Down the Stretch, Fall at App State
2/17/2024 7:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Hosana Kitenge led the team with 23 points and 13 rebounds
BOONE, North Carolina – Despite a 23-point, 13-rebound performance from Hosana Kitenge, the Louisiana men's basketball team went cold down the stretch and fell to first place App State in Boone, North Carolina on Saturday, 85-73. For Kintenge it was his third-straight double-double and fifth on the year.
Kitenge scored his 23 on 11-of-18 shooting and even connected on his first three-pointer this season. Freshman London Fields was the only other Cajun in double figures with a career-high 13, all coming in the first half.
The first four points for the Cajuns (17-10, 9-5 SBC) came from Kitenge as both sides traded buckets. The lead traded hands on six-straight makes before Kitenge put Louisiana ahead 14-11 on his three. App State (22-5, 12-2 SBC) took a three-point lead before Fields took over.
He hit threes on back-to-back possessions to put the Cajuns up 26-25. His putback on the following possession gave him eight points in the span of 1:13, after scoring just five total points in the previous month.
Louisiana used that momentum and continued to push the lead. Fields hit a three with 48 seconds left to make it a five-point lead, but the Mountaineers answered with a desperation three at the end of the shot clock before the half to make it 39-37 heading into the half.
App State evened the score two-and-a-half minutes into the second half but the Cajuns punched right back. Kitenge, Kobe Julien, and Joe Charles scored and put them ahead by six. Minutes later a putback by Kyran Ratliff made it 56-47 in favor of the Cajuns with 14:14 on the clock.
The home team answered with a 7-0 run before four points from Charles kept Louisiana up by six. An 8-2 run by the Mountaineers evened the score at 62 heading into the under-8 timeout but from there it was all App State. They closed the game on a 23-11 run and held Louisiana without a three in the second half until Michael Thomas connected from deep in the final minute.
Louisiana won the battle on the boards 37-35 against the Mountaineers who had outrebounded by 5.3 per game heading into the contest. The Cajuns struggled to get to the charity stripe, converting on all five of their free throw attempts.
Next up the Cajuns hit the road to face ULM on Thursday, February 22 in Monroe in the penultimate week of the regular season.
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).
Kitenge scored his 23 on 11-of-18 shooting and even connected on his first three-pointer this season. Freshman London Fields was the only other Cajun in double figures with a career-high 13, all coming in the first half.
The first four points for the Cajuns (17-10, 9-5 SBC) came from Kitenge as both sides traded buckets. The lead traded hands on six-straight makes before Kitenge put Louisiana ahead 14-11 on his three. App State (22-5, 12-2 SBC) took a three-point lead before Fields took over.
He hit threes on back-to-back possessions to put the Cajuns up 26-25. His putback on the following possession gave him eight points in the span of 1:13, after scoring just five total points in the previous month.
Louisiana used that momentum and continued to push the lead. Fields hit a three with 48 seconds left to make it a five-point lead, but the Mountaineers answered with a desperation three at the end of the shot clock before the half to make it 39-37 heading into the half.
App State evened the score two-and-a-half minutes into the second half but the Cajuns punched right back. Kitenge, Kobe Julien, and Joe Charles scored and put them ahead by six. Minutes later a putback by Kyran Ratliff made it 56-47 in favor of the Cajuns with 14:14 on the clock.
The home team answered with a 7-0 run before four points from Charles kept Louisiana up by six. An 8-2 run by the Mountaineers evened the score at 62 heading into the under-8 timeout but from there it was all App State. They closed the game on a 23-11 run and held Louisiana without a three in the second half until Michael Thomas connected from deep in the final minute.
Louisiana won the battle on the boards 37-35 against the Mountaineers who had outrebounded by 5.3 per game heading into the contest. The Cajuns struggled to get to the charity stripe, converting on all five of their free throw attempts.
Next up the Cajuns hit the road to face ULM on Thursday, February 22 in Monroe in the penultimate week of the regular season.
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).
Team Stats
LA
APP
FG%
.449
.484
3FG%
.273
.500
FT%
1.000
.882
RB
37
35
TO
9
6
STL
2
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
23
FGM
11
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
13
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
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