Louisiana Continues League Play At South Alabama

Contact: Brian McCann

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Game 26
Louisiana (9-16, 5-9) at South Alabama (14-9, 11-4)
Date:   Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013
Time:   7:05 p.m. CST
Site:   Mitchell Center (10,000), Mobile, Ala.
Radio:   KPEL (1420 AM) & KHXT (107.9 FM) (Jay Walker)
TV:   None Live, Streaming available on the internet via USAJaguars.com
Series:   Louisiana Leads, 24-22
Last Meeting:   So. Alabama 91, Louisiana 89 (2ot) (1/10/13, Lafayette, La.)

THE COACHES:
LOUISIANA
BOB MARLIN (Mississippi State '81)
At Louisiana: 39-47 (3rd year)
4-Year Overall: 264-178 (15th year)
All Collegiate: 387-213 (20th year)
vs. South Alabama: 1-3

SOUTH ALABAMA
JEFF PRICE (Pikeville '81)
At South Alabama: 9-4 (1st year)
Overall: 232-190 (18th year)
vs. Louisiana: 1-0

SETTING THE SCENE: With wins in two of its last three games and finally healthy after almost a month of playing short-handed, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns basketball team takes to the road, traveling to Mobile, Ala. to face South Alabama on Thursday, Feb. 14 beginning at 7:05 p.m. CST in the Mitchell Center. With three weeks and six games to go in the regular season, Louisiana (9-16) is solidly in third place in the Sun Belt west division with a 5-9 record. South Alabama (14-9, 11-4) has won three straight games, including home wins over Troy (65-62) and Florida Atlantic (72-71) last week. The Jaguars are in second place in the east division and own the second best record in the Sun Belt this year. South Alabama claimed the first meeting this year, a 91-89 double overtime victory in the Cajundome on Jan. 10. This will be the 47th series meeting with Louisiana holding a slim 24-22 lead. The Cajuns are 11-9 all-time in games against the Jaguars in Mobile.

PREVIEWING LOUISIANA: With a lineup featuring five freshmen and four sophomores, third year head coach Bob Marlin is excited about the possibilities for the 2012-13 season, knowing that the team that took the court in November will grow and improve all season. As the new faces get acclimated to the collegiate game, the Cajuns have leaned heavily on junior Bryant Mbamalu (14.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and sophomore sensation Elfrid Payton (15.2, 5.6, 5.3). Guard Alan-Michael Thompson (7.4 ppg), the lone senior on the squad, is also playing an increased role this year. Freshman forward Shawn Long (15.8 ppg, 10.5 rpg), a transfer from Mississippi State, and power forward Elridge Moore (5.3, 3.9), a JC transfer from Lamar State, unite to form the nucleus of the inside game with freshman Cornell Barnett and walk-on Braylon Lazare providing the depth inside. Although Payton, Mbamalu and Thompson provide the athleticism, quickness and leadership, the freshmen trio of Steven Wronkoski (6.3, 2.7), Kasey Shepherd (3.5) and Josh Soto (3.6) also contribute, giving Louisiana a deep backcourt. Marlin is utilizing the depth and quickness by forcing an up-tempo game at both ends of the court by applying more defensive pressure. Look for the Cajuns to use their quickness and outside shooting ability to create a balanced offense, forcing opponents to cover the entire court.

CAJUNS IN THE NCAA STATS: The Cajuns received several mentions in the NCAA basketball statistics, which were released on Monday (Feb. 11) and included games through Feb. 10. Individually, Shawn Long ranked fourth nationally in double-doubles (15), 11th in rebounds (10.5) and 59th in blocks (2.0) while Elfrid Payton was 19th in steals (2.3) and 44th in assists (5.3).

BEST AGAINST THE WEST: The oddity of the 2012-13 season for the Cajuns is that they have excelled against the west division and struggled vs. the east. Louisiana enters the week with a 5-1 record against the four west division foes, handing both UALR (4-1) and Arkansas State (3-1) their only losses against the division. The Cajuns final two divisional games come on the road in the final week when UL plays at UALR on Feb. 28 and at ULM on March 2. At the other end of the spectrum, the Cajuns are 0-8 against the east division

TOUGH DECISIONS: One of the best examples of the youth of the Cajuns this season is that Louisiana has not fared well in close games, going 2-9 in games decided by six points or less, including a pair of overtime losses. The lone wins came at UNT on Dec. 1 (80-76) and when they outlasted Arkansas State, 61-56, at home. For the year, the Cajuns are 0-1 in two-point games, 0-2 in three-point games, 1-0 in four-point games, 1-5 in five-point games and 0-1 in six-point decisions.

. . . AND EASY ONES: The Cajuns have played their best at home this year, winning six of their eight home games by 10 points or more and owning a 14.9 margin of victory in the eight wins.

. . . ESPECIALLY LATELY: With back-to-back home wins of 31 points over North Texas (105-74 on Jan. 31) and 24 points over ULM (90-66 on Feb. 10), the Cajuns have claimed consecutive wins by 20 points or more for the first time in league games since defeating FIU (83-63 on 1/23/10) and UALR (77-51, 2/4/10) three seasons ago.

A BATTLE ON THE BOARDS: Thursday's game will feature a matchup of the league's top two rebounders, South Alabama's Augustin Rubit, who leads the league and ranks ninth nationally averaging 10.6 rebounds a game, and Louisiana's Shawn Long, the top freshman rebounder at 10.5 rebounds a game. Rubit has grabbed 244 rebound in 23 games while Long has 263 rebounds in 25 games. Long can take over the league lead if he grabs three more rebounds than Rubit. Long won the battle of the boards in the first meeting, 14-9.

MARLIN COACHES 600TH GAME: Third-year Cajuns head coach Bob Marlin was on the sideline as a head coach for the 600th time during his coaching career when the Cajuns defeated ULM on Sunday (Feb. 10). It is only fitting that the game was against ULM, a school that Marlin earned a master's degree in health and physical education from 1983. A 33-year coaching veteran, Marlin has served as a head coach for 20 seasons since taking over as head coach at Pensacola JC for the 1990-91 campaign. Marlin is 387-213 in those 20 seasons, going 123-35 in five seasons at Pensacola and 225-131 in 12 years at Sam Houston State. He is 39-47 in his third year at Louisiana.

LONG IS DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE: An 11-point, 11-rebound effort against ULM on Sunday gave redshirt freshman forward Shawn Long his 15th double-double in 25 games, good for fourth nationally. Towson's Jerrelle Benimon and Bucknell's Mike Muscala share the national lead with 17 double-doubles while Notre Dame's Jack Cooley is third with 16. Long has had a double-double in seven of the last eight games, giving him eight double-doubles in 15 league games this season.

A TRIPLE-TWENTY: When Elfrid Payton (22 points), Alan-Michael Thompson (22) and Shawn Long (21) each surpassed the 20-point mark against FIU on Jan. 24, it marked the first time since 2005-06 season that the Cajuns had three players with 20 or more points in a game. That came when Michael Southall (21), Dwayne Mitchell (21) and Ed Turner (20) each surpassed that mark in an 89-77 win over McNeese State on Dec. 22, 2005, 224 games ago.

. . . AND ALMOST TWO IN A ROW: You had to go back 224 games to find the last time three Cajuns each scored 20 points in a game, but the Cajuns almost made it two games in a row when Elfrid Payton (24 points), Shawn Long (23) and Bryant Mbamalu (18) helped the Ragin' Cajuns total 105 points against North Texas on Jan. 31. Mbamalu may well have reached the 20-point mark but was subbed out with 3:37 left and Louisiana comfortably ahead, 92-66.

LONG ENJOYS SWATTING SHOTS: With 49 blocked shots in 25 games this year, Shawn Long ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in blocks. His block total ranks him seventh on the Louisiana single season chart, two short of sixth place Graylin Warner (51 in 1982-83) and five away from fifth place Reginald Poole (54 in 1995-96). Long's 2.0 blocks per game is fifth-best in school history.

A 20-POINT BARRAGE: One by-product of Louisiana leading the Sun Belt this year in scoring with an average of 71.3 points per game is an increased number of 20 point games by Cajuns individuals. In 32 games last year, six different Cajuns players combined to record nine 20-point performances with Josh Brown (3) being the only player with more than one 20-point game.   In 25 games this year, Louisiana players have scored 20 points or more 21 times. Shawn Long leads the way with nine while Elfrid Payton (6), Bryant Mbamalu (5) and Alan-Michael Thompson (1) have also surpassed the mark.

. . . AND A 105-POINT BARRAGE: The 105 points by the Cajuns against North Texas on Jan. 31 was the most points by a Sun Belt team this year. It marked the second time that Louisiana surpassed the 100-point mark in three seasons under Bob Marlin (102 vs. Dillard on Dec. 12, 2011). It was the most points by the Cajuns since UL scored 110 at Western Kentucky on January 29, 2004.

LONG RANGE SCORING: Bob Marlin said during the preseason that the three-point shot would be more prominent in the offense this year and that forecast has been accurate. With 10 three-pointers against ULM on Sunday, Louisiana took over the Sun Belt lead, averaging 7.08 treys per game (177 total). FIU is second with 168 treys in 24 games (7.00 treys per game). The Cajuns made 74 treys in the first 12 games (6.2/game) with no double-figure games but have found their shooting touch of late, averaging 7.9 three-pointers (103 total) over the last 13 contests with five double-figure games. Louisiana has made 177 treys in 25 games this year to surpass the 172 three-pointers it made in 32 games last season.

THOMPSON ENJOYS A LONG-RANGE EVENING: Alan-Michael Thompson stepped up to provide the Cajuns with an outside shooting presence against FIU on Jan. 24, setting career highs for three-point field goals made (6) and attempted (16). The 16 three-point attempts was the second-highest single game total in school history, two shy of the school record of 18 set by Brad Boyd vs. Mississippi State on Nov. 23, 2002. The six treys is the most by a Cajun since Boyd had seven at Birmingham-Southern on Dec. 8, 2002. The effort allowed Thompson to equal the most three-point field goals made and attempted in the Sun Belt this season.

THE SCORING TRIO: The Cajun trio of freshman Shawn Long (15.8 ppg), sophomore Elfrid Payton (15.2) and junior Bryant Mbamalu (14.8) have led the Louisiana offense, combining to score 61 percent of the points this season (1,084 of 1,783). Together, they have reached double figures 60 of the possible 71 times this year, including 18 games of 20-points or more.    They combined to score a season-best 65 points vs. North Texas on Jan. 31 and previously scored 62 points at Florida Atlantic (Jan. 3), 60 at North Texas on Dec. 1 and 59 vs. South Alabama (Jan. 10). The trio has totaled 50 points or more seven times this year.

. . . THE TRIO FROM A SUN BELT PERSPECTIVE: A look at the most recent Sun Belt statistics shows that the trio of Shawn Long (15.8 ppg), Elfrid Payton (15.2) and Bryant Mbamalu (14.8) rank third, sixth and seventh, respectively in league scoring. FIU and Florida Atlantic are the only other teams that have two players in the top 10 in scoring, but neither have a third player ranked in the top 25. In Sun Belt games only, Mbamalu (17.7), Payton (16.6) and Long (15.4) rank third, sixth and seventh, respectively.

. . . WITH MBAMALU OUT, CAJUNS FIND THIRD SCORER: Senior Alan-Michael Thompson helped to offset the loss of Bryant Mbamalu against FIU on Jan. 24 by scoring a career-high 22 points. He teamed with Elfrid Payton (22 points) and Shawn Long (21) to score 65 of Louisiana's 75 points, the highest total of the year.

. . . AND THOMPSON FINDS HIS MARK: Alan-Michael Thompson is closing his senior season on a high note offensively, averaging 10.2 points in league play, shooting .468 from the field (36-77). He has found his long-range scoring, going 25-for-58 from three-point (.431) over the last 10 games.

MBAMALU PASSES 700-POINT MARK: With 24 points against ULM on Sunday, junior guard Bryant Mbamalu surpassed the 700-point mark for his Louisiana career. Mbamalu has started 61 of his 81 career games, scoring 704 points in 1,990 minutes played.

. . . AND PAYTON IS RIGHT BEHIND HIM: A 15-point performance against ULM on Sunday pushed Elfrid Payton past the 600-point mark for his Cajuns career. Payton has played in 57 games during his two seasons, starting 36, scoring 609 points in 1,603 minutes of action.

. . . AND PAYTON GOES ALL 40: Elfrid Payton has taken on an increased leadership role on the team this year, leading the team and ranking second in the Sun Belt averaging 35.1 minutes per game. Payton added another first against FIU on Jan. 24, playing all 40 minutes for the first time in his collegiate career. Payton, the only Cajun to start every game this year, leads the team with 807 minutes played.

LONG MAINTAINS FRESHMAN REBOUNDING LEAD: With 11 or more rebounds in eight straight games, Shawn Long has taken over the mantra as the top freshman rebounder in the country this year. Long has grabbed 263 rebounds in 24 games (10.5 rpg) to rank ahead of Kentucky's Nerlens Noel (9.7).

. . . AND LONG CONTINUES TO RANK AMONG THE TOP FRESHMEN: A closer look at the recent NCAA stats shows that besides being the top freshman rebounder in the country this year, Shawn Long also ranks ninth among freshmen in scoring (15.8) and 10th in blocked shots (2.0).

A GREAT WIN: The win over Arkansas State on Jan. 12 is made a little more significant considering that the Cajuns had just nine players dressed in the game, with sophomore Elfrid Payton being the only player to see action who played last season. The victory allowed Louisiana to avenge a 87-70 loss to the Red Wolves in Jonesboro on Dec. 27.

. . . AND THE FRESHMEN CAME THROUGH: The freshman class turned in its most impressive performance against Arkansas State on Jan. 12 as the five Cajuns freshmen combined to score 43 of the 61 points and grab 28 of the 36 rebounds. The performance marked the third time this year that the freshmen class has scored 40 points or more. The group previously tallied a season-high 47 points in a 91-79 win over Duquesne and 41 points in a 76-66 victory over Southern-New Orleans.

SHEPHERD ENJOYS ROLE CHANGE: Freshman Kasey Shepherd celebrated his first career start against Arkansas State on Jan. 12 by setting his career highs for points (13), rebounds (7) and minutes played (37). He came back to score nine points with five rebounds in his second start at WKU on Jan. 17. In his three starts, he averaged 7.3 points and 4.3 rebounds, shooting .429 from three-point (6-14). For the season, Shepherd is averaging 3.5 points in 11.3 minutes a game.

PAYTON NEARS STEALS TOP 10: Sophomore Elfrid Payton recorded four steals against ULM on Sunday, giving him 58 steals in 25 games this year to lead the Sun Belt and rank 19th nationally averaging 2.3 steals a game. He needs two steals to pass four players who are tied for ninth with 59 steals each and break into the Louisiana single season top 10. Payton, who had 37 steals in 32 games last year, had a career high seven steals at Michigan State on Nov. 25, falling one steal short of the school record, and came back to make four steals vs. Middle Tennessee.

CAJUNS BENEFIT FROM LATE FREE THROW SHOOTING: The free throw shooting by the Cajuns has been at its best late in the game as Louisiana has gone 109-for-152 (.717) from the line in the final 5:00 minutes and overtime. Alan-Michael Thompson (13-14), Shawn Long (17-22) and Steven Wronkoski (12-17) lead the team while Bryant Mbamalu, a career .771 shooter (37-48), is 16-for-19 this year (.842). That is a considerable improvement from the .617 (121-196) that the Cajuns shot during the 2011-12 season.

LONG TRIES TO EQUAL FRESHMAN SCORING FEAT: With a 15.8 scoring average through 25 games and a 0.6 point per game lead ahead of second-leading scorer Elfrid Payton (15.2 ppg), freshman Shawn Long is on pace to become just the fifth freshman to lead the team in scoring. He would join Tim Thompson (14.2 ppg in 1957-58), Jerry Flake (17.6, 1965-66), Andrew Toney (21.0, 1976-77) and Chris Gradnigo (9.6, 2007-08).

. . . AND A SCORING, REBOUNDS & BLOCKS ACCOMPLISHMENT: Shawn Long's impact is more than just being a scorer. Ranking second in the Sun Belt in rebounding (10.5), third in scoring (15.8) and fourth in blocks (2.0), Long is on a pace to become just the third player in school history to lead the team in all three stat categories in a single season. Tyren Johnson was the most recent, averaging 17.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 2009-10. Reginald Poole is the other to accomplish it, doing it in both 1996-97 (16.0, 10.3, 1.7) and 1998-99 (14.7, 7.1, 0.9).

IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING: The exhibition win over Loyola-New Orleans marked the Cajuns debut for forward Shawn Long. Long transferred to Louisiana last December after spending the fall semester at Mississippi State. The 6-9 native of Morgan City, La. practiced with the Cajuns during the final three months of the year but was not eligible to play. During the summer, he was granted a waiver of transfer rule that would have made him ineligible until early December, allowing him to play immediately. Eager to make up for the lost season, Long scored 11 of UL's first 18 points against Loyola, finishing the night with 17 points and a game-high eight rebounds, going seven-for-11 from the field with a pair of blocks.

. . . AND LONG SCORES THE BASKETBALL: With at least seven games left to play this season, Shawn Long's nine 20-point games remains on a pace to record the most 20-plus point performances by a Cajun since former Sun Belt Player of the Year Tyren Johnson accomplished it 12 times in 2009-10.

WRONKOSKI PROVES MARLIN RIGHT: Bob Marlin said many times during the fall that when he took over as head coach two years ago, one of the first recruits he looked at was Steven Wronkoski, deciding that the current UL freshman's spirited play would be perfect in a Cajun uniform. Wronkoski has yet to prove Marlin wrong, averaging 6.3 points and 2.7 rebounds this year. He posted back-to-back career highs of 12 points vs. SUNO on Nov. 21 and, in his first career start, 16 points at New Mexico State on Nov. 23. His Sun Belt debut was equally as strong as he scored all 13 of his points in the second half against Middle Tennessee on Nov. 29. His current career scoring high is 17 points, set at McNeese State on Dec. 8.

MISTER CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?: Elfrid Payton has shown his continued development as the Cajuns' point guard by handing out 132 assists this year to rank second in the Sun Belt averaging 5.3 assists per game. He set a career high with 10 assists at FIU on Jan. 5 and previously had nine assists in each of the last three games against North Texas.

NEXT UP: Louisiana returns to the Cajundome to start a three-game home stretch that will close out the 2012-13 home slate. The homestand begins on Saturday (Feb. 16) against Florida Atlantic and concludes with games against Troy (Feb. 21) and Western Kentucky (Feb. 23).

Louisiana Continues League Play At South Alabama

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