MBB Game 21 Preview: vs. South Alabama

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team returns home for a two-game homestand beginning Thursday when it plays host to Sun Belt Conference rival South Alabama at the Cajundome.

Tipoff is set for 7:15 p.m. The game can be heard in the Lafayette area on KHXT 107.9 FM and ESPN 1420 AM. A live stream of the game will be available at RaginCajuns.com. The game against South Alabama (11-9, 4-3 SBC) is scheduled as a "Black Out" game with fans encouraged to wear black. T-Shirts will be available for purchase at the team store.

Louisiana (17-3, 7-0 SBC) increased its win streak to seven games overall and 13 games in Sun Belt Conference games dating back to last season after an impressive 80-55 win at Texas State last Saturday. The Ragin' Cajuns held Texas State to 32.2 percent from the floor – the third-lowest percentage allowed by the Ragin' Cajuns in a road game under Bob Marlin – while making 13 3-pointers against the league's second-ranked defense.

Malik Marquetti scored a career-high 19 points for Louisiana to lead three players in double figures with Frank Bartley and Justin Miller adding 14 each. Bryce Washington continued his climb up the Ragin' Cajuns and Sun Belt Conference rebounding chart, pulling down nine boards to increase his career total to 960.

South Alabama won a pair of games last week at home defeating Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State.

Louisiana will close out its homestand on Saturday when it faces defending SBC Tournament champion Troy in a 2 p.m. contest.

GAME 21: Louisiana (17-3, 7-0 SBC) vs. South Alabama (11-9, 4-3 SBC)
Date / Time: January 25, 2018 / 7:15 p.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)
Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM / ESPN 1420 AM
Talent: Jay Walker (pxp)

TV/Internet: RaginCajuns.com
Talent: Dan McDonald

Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsMBB

Series History: Louisiana leads, 28-27
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 14-12
In Mobile: South Alabama leads 13-11
Neutral Sites: Louisiana leads, 3-2
Current streak: Louisiana +2

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 145-107 (eighth season), Career Record: 493-273 (25th season)

SOUTH ALABAMA
Head Coach: Matthew Graves (Butler, 1998)
Record at USA: 62-97 (fourth season), Career Record: Same

STORY LINES
• Since the beginning of the 2013-14 season, Louisiana has won a total of 102 games - currently the most of any Sun Belt Conference school during that span and the third-best mark during a five-season span in school history.
• Louisiana looks to build on its best 20-game start since opening 18-2 in the 1972-73 season.
• Louisiana's current seven-game win streak is tied for the ninth-longest among Division I schools.
• Louisiana's 13 consecutive SBC victories dating back to last season are the most in school history. The Ragin' Cajuns won 10 straight SBC games from Jan. 22, 2011-Feb. 26, 2011.
• Louisiana's 12-game homecourt win streak dating back to last season is the 15th-longest in the country
• One of five players in school history with 900 career rebounds, Washington (960 rebounds) passed Dion Brown (1981-84) for fourth place on the Ragin' Cajuns career list with 12 rebounds against ULM.
• Bryce Washington enters today's game needing four rebounds to pass former Old Dominion star Kenny Gattison (963, 1982-86) for fourth-place on the all-time Sun Belt Conference list.
• Washington is fourth among active Division I players in total rebounds (960), tied for sixth in career double-doubles (34) and is 28th in career field goal percentage (.575).

QUICK HITS
• Louisiana is one of seven schools nationally (as of Jan. 23) that have won six or more games on the road and are undefeated at home. The Ragin' Cajuns are joined by Vermont, Nevada, St. Mary's, Georgia Southern, Montana and Villanova.
• Since the 2013-14 season, Louisiana has recorded 83 games with 80 or more points scored - the fifth-most by any Division I school during that span and trailing North Carolina (98), BYU (96), Duke (91) and Gonzaga (90).
• Louisiana's six road wins during the 2017-18 season are tied for ninth-best in Division I.
• Bryce Washington is one of five Division I players to average a double-double during the past two seasons joining Bonzie Colson (Notre Dame), Angel Delgado (Seton Hall), Alize Johnson (Missouri State) and James Thompson IV (Eastern Michigan).
• Washington is one of four Sun Belt players named to the Lou Henson Award Midseason Watch List.
• JaKeenan Gant is one of two Division I players currently averaging 14.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and shooting over 60 percent from the floor joining Ajdin Peneva of Marshall.

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS
• South Alabama enters its trip to the Bayou State with a two-game win streak after defeating Coastal Carolina (60-57) and Appalachian State (83-77) last weekend. The Jaguars have won three of their last four contests and five of the last eight since opening SBC play.
• Rodrick Sikes, who is sixth in the SBC in scoring, leads South Alabama with an 18.3 scoring average with Jay Ajayi averaging 12.7.
• Ajayi, who was named SBC Player of the Week on Monday, is ninth in the league in rebounds, pulling down 6.7 per game with Herb McGee 10th in the league with 3.1 assists.

NEXT UP
• Louisiana will close out its homestand on Saturday when it faces defending SBC Tournament champion Troy in a 2 p.m. game. The game is part of "Coaches vs. Cancer" week with the Louisiana staff wearing tennis shoes.
• Louisiana will then play its next three games on the road beginning Feb. 3 at ULM.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Frank Bartley

JaKeenan Gant

Malik Marquetti

Justin Miller

Bryce Washington

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