MBB Game 8 Preview: at McNeese State

LAFAYETTE – Coming off an electric 101-69 win over Nicholls State in its first game at the Cajundome on Thursday, the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team will return to action on Saturday when it travels west to Lake Charles to face in-state rival McNeese State at Burton Coliseum.

Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., and will be televised on Cox Sports TV and ESPN3. The game will also be carried in the Lafayette area on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Radio Pup app.

Louisiana (5-2) scored the first nine points in the first game in the Cajundome, which underwent $22 million in renovations, and never trailed against Nicholls before an announced crowd of 4,982. Frank Bartley scored 19 points to lead six players in double figures as the Ragin' Cajuns hit the 100-point mark for the second time this season.

Justin Miller (18 points), Lake Charles native P.J. Hardy (12), Bryce Washington (11), Jerekius Davis (10) and Scott Plaisance (10) all reached double figures in scoring for Louisiana, which enters the game ranked 10th nationally in scoring offense (89.1).

Bartley leads the Ragin' Cajuns, and is second in the Sun Belt Conference, in scoring at 19.0 points per game with Washington the lone player in the league averaging a double-double with 15.0 points and 11.0 rebounds.

McNeese State (2-4) dropped an 80-68 decision at Texas State on Monday, but has won six (all in Lake Charles) of the last 11 meetings in the series against the Ragin' Cajuns. The Ragin' Cajuns last victory in Lake Charles was a 71-70 decision at the Lake Charles Civic Center on Dec. 23, 2004, with its last win at Burton Coliseum (a 74-61 victory) coming on Dec. 16, 1999.

GAME 8: Louisiana (5-2) at McNeese State (2-4)
Date / Time: December 3, 2016 / 1:00 p.m.
Site: Lake Charles, La.
Arena: Burton Coliseum (8,000)
TV/Web: Cox Sports TV/ESPN3

Radio: KPEL 96.5 FM
Talent: Ryan Baniewicz (pxp)

Video: RaginCajuns.com
Live Stats: RaginCajuns.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsMBB

Series: Louisiana leads, 56-35
At Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 36-13
At Lake Charles: McNeese leads, 22-19
At Beaumont: Louisiana leads, 1-0

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Career Record: 460-260 (24th season), Record at UL: 112-94 (7th season)

MCNEESE STATE
Head Coach: Dave Simmons (Louisiana Tech, 1981)
Career Record: 165-205 (13th season), Record at McNeese: 138-176 (11th season)

STORY LINES
• Louisiana looks for its first win in Lake Charles since a 71-70 victory in 2004 (Lake Charles Civic Center) and its first win at Burton Coliseum since Dec. 16, 1999 (74-61). The last 11 meetings in the I-10 rivalry have been won by the home team (McNeese, 6-5).

• The game against McNeese is the second of four straight games for the Ragin' Cajuns against in-state schools. Louisiana defeated Nicholls, 101-69, on Thursday and will face Loyola (Dec. 7) and Louisiana Tech (Dec. 10) over the next week.

• Ragin' Cajuns freshman guard P.J. Hardy is a Lake Charles native and is the younger brother of former McNeese letterwinner Kevin Hardy (2011-15).

• The Ragin' Cajuns are off to their best seven-game start since opening with an identical 5-2 record during their 2013-14 NCAA Tournament team.

QUICK HITS
• As a team, Louisiana is ranked 10th in scoring offense (89.1), 12th in turnovers forced (18.7), 13th in free throw attempts (208), 13th in offensive rebounds per game (15.1) and 18th in turnover margin (+5.4).

• Individually, Bryce Washington sixth in offensive rebounds per game (4.5), seventh in double-doubles (5) and is 12th in rebounds per game (11.0). Frank Bartley is 24th in 3-point field goal percentage (.524) and is 31st in total steals (16).

• The Ragin' Cajuns have won 20 straight regular-season, non-conference games at home (Cajundome and Blackham Coliseum) dating back to the 2012-13 season and are 30-5 in non-conference home games under Bob Marlin.

• Louisiana has averaged 25.9 points per game off turnovers and 44.9 points in the paint this season.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS
• McNeese State, under veteran coach Dave Simmons, dropped an 80-68 decision at Texas State on Monday to fall to 0-3 against Division I opponents this season. The Cowboys have faced Purdue and Memphis among its DI opponents this season with non-conference games against Louisiana, SMU, NC Central, Tulane and NC State remaining on the schedule.
• Sophomore guard Jarren Greenwood is one of four players averaging in double figures for McNeese State, scoring a team-high 13.0 points per game. Guards Jamaya Burr (12.0), James Harvery (10.3) and Kalob Ledoux (10.0) also average in double figures for the Cowboys with Lance Potier hauling in a team-high 5.0 rebounds per game.

THE I-10 SERIES
• Today's meeting against McNeese State will mark the 92nd meeting on the hardwood between the two schools that are separated by just over an hour along Interstate 10. The Ragin' Cajuns hold a 56-35 lead with the Cowboys holding a 22-19 advantage in games played in Lake Charles. The home team has held serve on its court during the last 11 meetings in the series with McNeese holding a 6-5 advantage.

WHAT'S UP NEXT
• Louisiana will return to action on Wednesday (Dec. 7) when it hosts Loyola of New Orleans in a 7 p.m. contest at the Cajundome.

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Players Mentioned

Frank Bartley

Jerekius Davis

P.J. Hardy

Justin Miller

Scott Plaisance

Bryce Washington

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