University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Tuesday, March 3
Pensacola, Fla.
5 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
11-21,7-11Sun Belt
84
vs
75
Georgia State
10-22,7-11Sun Belt
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia St. | 38 | 37 | 75 |
| Louisiana | 36 | 48 | 84 |
Second-Half Spurt Propels Cajuns To SBC Second Round, 84-75
3/3/2026 9:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
No. 12-seeded Louisiana eliminates Georgia State; will face JMU on Wednesday
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Jaxon Olvera poured in a career-high 29 points, and Louisiana used a decisive 13-0 run early in the second half to pull away for an 84-75 victory over Georgia State in the opening round of the Visit Pensacola Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Tournament presented by Air Force Reserve.
The win sends the No. 12-seeded Cajuns (11-21) into Wednesday's second round, where they will face No. 9-seeded James Madison (17-14) at 5 p.m.
Olvera eclipsed his previous season high of 23 points, set Feb. 16 at Old Dominion, and topped his former career best of 27 points scored against Gonzaga while at Pepperdine. The junior from Houston shot 9 of 16 from the field, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range, and converted 9 of 11 free throws. He scored 21 of his 29 points after halftime and was one of four Cajuns in double figures.
Dorian Finister, returning after missing the previous two games with a concussion, added 13 points. De'Vion Lavergne finished with 12, and redshirt freshman Karris Bilal chipped in 10.
Jelani Hamilton paced Georgia State (10-22) with 20 points but was limited to four after the break. Micah Tucker added 18, while Malachi Brown and Joah Chappelle scored 14 and 13, respectively.
Georgia State led 38-36 at halftime and pushed its advantage to five early in the second half following a three-point play by Brown. Louisiana answered with the game-changing 13-0 surge, fueled by six points from Olvera and four from Kyran Ratliff, to take control for good.
A 3-pointer by Milan Mejia stretched the lead to 61-49 midway through the second half, and Olvera's triple with just under five minutes remaining gave the Cajuns their largest cushion at 70-57.
The Panthers held a 24-17 lead midway through the first half before Louisiana responded with a 13-0 run to take a 30-24 advantage. Georgia State closed the half on a 14-6 run to carry a two-point lead into the locker room.
Louisiana dominated the glass, 40-30, and matched its season high with 18 offensive rebounds, translating into a 20-8 edge in second-chance points. Olvera led the Cajuns with nine rebounds, while Todd Jones Jr. grabbed eight, including six on the offensive end.
The Cajuns shot 48% (14 of 29) in the second half and made 18 of 23 free throws after intermission, finishing with a 26-18 advantage at the line. Although Georgia State shot 50% in the second half, Louisiana forced nine of the Panthers' 14 turnovers after the break and committed just nine turnovers for the game.
Wednesday's matchup will mark the second meeting of the season between Louisiana and James Madison. The Cajuns claimed the first contest in Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Feb. 4 when Finister buried a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining to secure the win.
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).
The win sends the No. 12-seeded Cajuns (11-21) into Wednesday's second round, where they will face No. 9-seeded James Madison (17-14) at 5 p.m.
Olvera eclipsed his previous season high of 23 points, set Feb. 16 at Old Dominion, and topped his former career best of 27 points scored against Gonzaga while at Pepperdine. The junior from Houston shot 9 of 16 from the field, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range, and converted 9 of 11 free throws. He scored 21 of his 29 points after halftime and was one of four Cajuns in double figures.
Dorian Finister, returning after missing the previous two games with a concussion, added 13 points. De'Vion Lavergne finished with 12, and redshirt freshman Karris Bilal chipped in 10.
Jelani Hamilton paced Georgia State (10-22) with 20 points but was limited to four after the break. Micah Tucker added 18, while Malachi Brown and Joah Chappelle scored 14 and 13, respectively.
Georgia State led 38-36 at halftime and pushed its advantage to five early in the second half following a three-point play by Brown. Louisiana answered with the game-changing 13-0 surge, fueled by six points from Olvera and four from Kyran Ratliff, to take control for good.
A 3-pointer by Milan Mejia stretched the lead to 61-49 midway through the second half, and Olvera's triple with just under five minutes remaining gave the Cajuns their largest cushion at 70-57.
The Panthers held a 24-17 lead midway through the first half before Louisiana responded with a 13-0 run to take a 30-24 advantage. Georgia State closed the half on a 14-6 run to carry a two-point lead into the locker room.
Louisiana dominated the glass, 40-30, and matched its season high with 18 offensive rebounds, translating into a 20-8 edge in second-chance points. Olvera led the Cajuns with nine rebounds, while Todd Jones Jr. grabbed eight, including six on the offensive end.
The Cajuns shot 48% (14 of 29) in the second half and made 18 of 23 free throws after intermission, finishing with a 26-18 advantage at the line. Although Georgia State shot 50% in the second half, Louisiana forced nine of the Panthers' 14 turnovers after the break and committed just nine turnovers for the game.
Wednesday's matchup will mark the second meeting of the season between Louisiana and James Madison. The Cajuns claimed the first contest in Harrisonburg, Virginia, on Feb. 4 when Finister buried a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining to secure the win.
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
GSU
LA
FG%
.491
.426
3FG%
.294
.353
FT%
.783
.743
RB
30
40
TO
14
9
STL
7
8
Game Leaders
Pts
29
FGM
9
3FGM
2
FTM
9
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballSunday, February 22
Friday, February 20
Friday, February 20
Friday, February 13
