MBB Game 33 Preview: at Furman

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team returns to action in the 2016 CollegeInsider.com Tournament on Saturday when it visits Southern Conference member Furman in a second round game at Timmons Arena.

Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CDT. The game can be heard in the Lafayette area on Hot 107.9-FM and on RaginCajuns.com. A free live video stream will be available on CollegeInsider.com.

Louisiana (18-14) earned a 96-72 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday, shooting 52 percent from the floor and recording their first postseason win at home since a 65-64 victory over Florida in the 1985 NIT.

Kasey Shepherd scored a career-high 28 points as Louisiana built a 46-37 lead at halftime and outscored the Islanders, 50-35, in the second. Shawn Long notched his 74th career double-double – tying Keith Lee (Memphis) and David Robinson (Navy) for 12th place on the NCAA All-Time list - with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Furman (19-15) rallied from a 10-point deficit in the final two minutes, scoring the game's final 11 points in a 58-57 victory over ULM in the first round on Monday.

GAME 33: Louisiana (18-14) at Furman (19-15)
March 19, 2016 | 1 p.m. CDT | Greenville, S.C. | Timmons Arena (5,000)
TV/Web: CollegeInsider.com
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM | Talent: Ryan Baniewicz (PBP)
Video: RaginCajuns.com
Live Stats: RaginCajuns.com
Twitter Updates: @Cajunbasketball; @ULRaginCajuns
Series: Furman leads, 1-0 | In Lafayette: Never met | In Greenville: First meeting | In Johnson City: Furman leads, 1-0

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Career Record: 454-257 (23rd season), Record at UL: 106-91 (6th season)

FURMAN
Head Coach: Niko Medved (Minnesota, 1997)
Career Record: 39-58 (3rd season), Record at Furman: Same

STORY LINES
• Louisiana looks to reach the quarterfinals in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament for the second consecutive year. The Ragin' Cajuns earned road wins at Incarnate Word and Sam Houston State before falling to Evansville in the 2015 CIT.

• The Ragin' Cajuns are making their fourth appearance in the postseason (2012 - CIT; 2014 - NCAA; 2015 - CIT) in the past five seasons.

• Senior Kasey Shepherd enters today's game 17 points shy of becoming the 43rd player in school history to reach the 1,000-point barrier.

• Ragin' Cajuns assistant coach Gus Hauser is a 2000 graduate of Furman and was a two-sport athlete for the Paladins, including a reserve point guard in 1998 under head coach Larry Davis.

• With 74 career double-doubles, Shawn Long is tied with Keith Lee (Memphis State) and David Robinson (Navy) for 12th-place on the NCAA all-time list.

• Long is the NCAA active leader in both double-doubles (74) and rebounds (1,432), is second among active Division I players in points scored (2,322) and field goals made (864), third in field goal attempts (1,715) and fifth in rebound average (10.8).

• Louisiana leads the Sun Belt Conference and is ninth among NCAA Division I schools in rebound margin (+8.6).

• Shawn Long is four rebounds shy of becoming the third player in school history, and first since Roy Ebron (411, 1971-72) to grab 400 rebounds in a single-season.

• The Ragin' Cajuns win over TAMU-CC was their first postseason win at home since a 65-64 win over Florida in the first round of the 1985 NIT.

QUICK HITS
• The Cajuns are 0-5 this season in games decided by five points or less.

• Louisiana is 3-2 all-time in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament with both wins coming on the road (2015 at Incarnate Word; at Sam Houston State).

• Shawn Long is currently fourth in the nation in rebounds per game (12.4) and is tied for sixth in double-doubles (22).

• With his next appearance, Kasey Shepherd will move into a tie with Todd Hill, Graylin Warner and Brett Smith for third place on the Ragin' Cajuns all-time list for games played (122).

• The Ragin' Cajuns are 12-2 this season when holding opponents below 70 points and are 0-7 when held below 70 points.

• Bryce Washington led the Sun Belt Conference in field goal percentage (.602) during the in 2015-16 regular season.

• Louisiana has used 13 different starting lineups this season.

• Louisiana's 96 points scored against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi were the most scored in a postseason game since defeating Santa Clara, 97-76, in the third round of the 1984 NIT

• Louisiana is 16-2 overall against current members of the Southern Conference - Samford (9-0), ETSU (2-0), Western Carolina (1-0), UNC-Greensboro (1-0), VMI (1-0); Mercer (1-0), Chattanooga (1-1) and Furman (0-1).

THE SERIES
• The meeting between Louisiana and Furman will be the second between the schools on the hardwood. The Paladins earned an 89-74 win over the Ragin' Cajuns on Dec. 30, 1958 in the Wautauga Tourney in Johnson City, Tenn.

WHAT'S ON TAP
The winner of today's game will advance to the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament with opponent and location to be announced. The Ragin' Cajuns would be slated to play at the Cajundome should they advance.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Shawn Long

Kasey Shepherd

Bryce Washington

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