MBB Game 2 Preview: vs. Louisiana College

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball officially opens its 2017-18 home schedule on Tuesday when it plays host to in-state opponent Louisiana College in a 7 p.m. contest at the Cajundome.

The game will be streamed live at RaginCajuns.com and can be heard in the Lafayette area on KHXT 107.9 FM, ESPN 1420 AM and on the RadioPup app.

Louisiana (0-1) opened its season on the road dropping a 94-76 decision to SEC member Ole Miss before the largest season-opening crowd (8,302) in school history on Friday in Oxford, Miss. The Ragin' Cajuns placed four players in double figures with Johnathan Stove scoring a team-high 16 points with freshman Cedric Russell scoring 15 points in his collegiate debut.

Justin Miller came off the bench to score 12 points for the Ragin' Cajuns while junior point guard Marcus Stroman, a transfer from South Carolina, scored a career-high 12 points in his first game in a Louisiana uniform.

GAME 2: Louisiana (0-1) vs. Louisiana College (0-0)
Date / Time: November 14, 2017 / 7 p.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)

Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM / ESPN 1420 AM
Talent: Jay Walker (pxp)

Video: RaginCajuns.com (FREE)
Live Stats: RaginCajuns.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsMBB

Series History: Louisiana leads, 53-20
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 34-3
In Pineville: Louisiana leads, 14-4
At Unknown Sites (pre-World War II): Louisiana College leads, 13-5
Current Streak: Louisiana +23

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 128-105 (8th season), Career Record: 476-271 (25th season)

LOUISIANA COLLEGE
Head Coach: Reni Mason (New Orleans, 1994)
Record at LC: 23-27 (third year), Career Record: Same

STORY LINES
• Louisiana opens its home schedule facing in-state opponent Louisiana College at the Cajundome.
• The Ragin' Cajuns have won the last 23 meetings against LC and are 34-3 overall against the Wildcats in Lafayette.
• Louisiana has won its last 23 regular-season, non-conference games at home dating back to Dec. 18, 2012 (vs. Robert Morris).
• Louisiana returns four starters and 10 letterwinners from a team that finished 21-12 last season - the third 20-win season in the past four years.
• Senior Bryce Washington is 30 points shy of becoming the 45th player in Ragin' Cajuns history to reach the 1,000-point scoring mark.
• Washington finished fifth nationally in double-doubles (22) in 2016-17.
• Washington enters the 2017-18 season on the Lou Henson Award Watch List, presented to the top mid-major player.
• Louisiana's 85 wins since the 2013-14 season are the most in a four-year span since winning 86 games from 1981-85.

QUICK HITS
• Louisiana led the Sun Belt Conference in scoring offense (81.9) and rebound margin (+5.8) during the 2016-17 season.
• The Ragin' Cajuns return 75.6 percent of its scoring and 79.1 percent of its rebounds from the 2016-17 season.
• Bryce Washington's 369 rebounds in 2016-17 were the fifth-most in a single-season in school history.
• Louisiana went 7-5 last season in games decided by six points or less after going 0-6 in 2015-16. Under Bob Marlin, the Ragin' Cajuns are 41-41 overall in games decided by six points or less.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
• Tonight's game for Louisiana College is the second exhibition game for the Division III Wildcats, who dropped a 100-50 decision at UTEP on Friday.
• Lashard Powell came off the bench to score 12 points to lead the Wildcats with Devon Washington posting a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
• UTEP opened the game with a 32-0 run, holding Louisiana College scoreless for the first eight-and-a-half minutes while building a 48-16 lead at halftime.

SERIES NOTES
• Tonight's game marks the 74th overall meeting between the in-state schools with Louisiana holding a 53-20 lead in the series that dates back to the 1911-12 season.
• Louisiana has won the last 23 meetings in the series dating back to a 70-61 Wildcat victory on Feb. 4, 1963, and have won 23 straight games in Lafayette dating back to Jan. 24, 1960.

UP NEXT
• Louisiana closes out its early two-game home stand on Friday (Nov. 17) against Savannah State at 4 p.m., before departing to play in the inaugural Cayman Islands Classic, Nov. 20-22.

MBB Game 2 Preview: vs. Louisiana College

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Players Mentioned

Justin Miller

Cedric Russell

Johnathan Stove

Marcus Stroman

Bryce Washington

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