MBB Game 26 Preview: at Troy

TROY, Ala. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team hits the road for its final weekend of the 2015-16 regular season when it returns to action on Thursday when it faces Troy in a Sun Belt Conference contest at Trojan Arena.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game can be heard in the Lafayette area on both Hot 107.9 and ESPN 1420-AM, and will be available on RaginCajuns.com.

After winning nine consecutive SBC games, equaling the 2002-03 team for the second-longest winning streak in league games in school history, Louisiana (14-11, 10-6 Sun Belt) has dropped its last three contests by a combined nine points.

The Ragin' Cajuns, who had won three straight games on the road after an 0-8 start, fell in their two games last week away from the Cajundome. Louisiana lost an 84-83 overtime decision at UT Arlington last Thursday before falling to Texas State, 61-57, last Saturday.

Shawn Long leads Louisiana in scoring, averaging 18.8 points per game, while leading the Sun Belt Conference with 13.0 rebounds per contest. The senior, who is currently holds the school career-record in rebounds, enters Thursday's game three blocked shots shy of tying Michael Southall (255 blocks) for the Ragin' Cajuns all-time lead.

Kasey Shepherd is Louisiana's other player averaging in double figures (11.2) with Jay Wright (9.1), Johnathan Stove (9.0), Bryce Washington (7.8) and Hayward Register (6.5) next in scoring.

Troy (9-18, 4-12 Sun Belt) saw its two-game winning streak snapped this past Saturday with a 78-74 loss at Appalachian State. Wesley Person scored a game-high 30 points to lead the Trojans and he was named the Sun Belt Student-Athlete of the Week for his efforts. The sophomore guard also netted 28 points in Troy's victory at South Alabama last Tuesday and accounted for 43 percent of Troy's points on the week.

Person is one of four Trojans who average double figures on the season. He leads the way scoring at a 17.6 per-game clip, while Jordon Varnado is averaging 13.6 per game, John Walton III nets 10.9 per game and Jeremy Hollimon adds 10.6 per game.

GAME 26: Louisiana (14-11, 10-6 Sun Belt) at Troy (9-18, 4-12 Sun Belt)
February 25, 2016 | 7:30 p.m. | Troy, Ala. | Trojan Arena (5,200)
TV/Web: None
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM / ESPN 1420 AM | Talent: Jay Walker (PBP)
Video: RaginCajuns.com
Live Stats: RaginCajuns.com
Twitter Updates: @Cajunbasketball; @ULRaginCajuns
Series: UL leads, 13-5 | In Lafayette: UL leads, 7-3 | In Troy: UL leads, 5-2

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Career Record: 450-253 (23rd season), Record at UL: 102-88 (6th season)

TROY
Head Coach: Phil Cunningham (Campbellsville, 1990)
Career Record: 30-57 (3rd season), Record at Troy: Same

STORY LINES
Shawn Long enters Thursday's game needing three blocked shots to tie Michael Southall for the Ragin' Cajuns all-time lead. Long, who has 255 blocked shots, is fourth in Sun Belt Conference history trailing South Florida's Curtis Kitchen (257, 1982-86) for fourth-place and Southall (258, 2001-06) for third.

Louisiana has won the last six meetings in the series, including an 88-65 win at the Cajundome on Jan. 23.

Louisiana leads the Sun Belt Conference in scoring, averaging 80.4 points per game, and is second in the league in rebound margin (+7.6).

THE SERIES
Thursday's game will be the 19th meeting between the schools on the hardwood with Louisiana holding a 13-5 lead. The Ragin' Cajuns have won the last six meetings in the series and have won four of the last five games in Troy, including the last two at Trojan Arena.

THE OPPONENT
Troy (9-18, 4-12 Sun Belt) saw its two-game winning streak snapped this past Saturday with a 78-74 loss at Appalachian State. Wesley Person is one of four Trojans who average double figures on the season. He leads the way scoring at a 17.6 per-game clip, while Jordon Varnado is averaging 13.6 per game, John Walton III nets 10.9 per game and Jeremy Hollimon adds 10.6 per game.

UP NEXT
Louisiana will wrap up its regular-season road schedule on Saturday when it travels to Mobile, Ala., to face South Alabama in a 4:05 p.m. contest at the Mitchell Center. The Ragin' Cajuns will return home next week to conclude the regular-season with games against Georgia State (March 3) and Georgia Southern (March 5).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Shawn Long

Hayward Register

Kasey Shepherd

Johnathan Stove

Bryce Washington

Jay Wright

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