MBB Game 31 Preview: vs. Little Rock

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball team looks to continue to build on an historic season on Saturday when it plays host to Little Rock in the Sun Belt Conference finale for both teams at the Cajundome.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game will be streamed live on RaginCajuns.com and can be heard in the Lafayette area on KHXT 107.9-FM and on the RadioPup app.

Prior to the game, Louisiana's five-man senior class – Frank Bartley, Jacob Broussard, Larenz Stalcup, Johnathan Stove and Bryce Washington – will be honored with the Ragin' Cajuns being honored as Sun Belt Conference champions in a post-game ceremony.

Louisiana (26-4, 16-1 SBC) set a school-record with its 26th win of the season on Thursday, defeating Arkansas State, 85-74. The Ragin' Cajuns posted their first-ever 14-0 start at home and with a win can secure their first undefeated season at home since going 12-0 in 1972-73.

The Ragin' Cajuns have won the last four games against Little Rock (6-24, 3-14 SBC), including a 77-63 decision in the SBC opener for both teams on Dec. 29 in Little Rock.

GAME 31: Louisiana (26-4, 16-1 SBC) vs. Little Rock (6-24, 3-14 SBC)
Date / Time: March 3, 2018 / 7 p.m.
Site: Lafayette, La.
Arena: Cajundome (12,362)

Radio: KHXT 107.9 FM
Talent: Jay Walker (pxp)

TV/Internet: RaginCajuns.com
Talent: Ryan Baniewicz (pxp)

Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Social Updates: @RaginCajunsMBB | #GeauxCajuns

Series: Louisiana leads, 29-20
At Lafayette: Louisiana leads, 16-6
At Little Rock: Little Rock leads, 13-10
At Neutral Sites: Louisiana leads, 3-1
Streak: Louisiana +4

THE COACHES
LOUISIANA
Head Coach: Bob Marlin (Mississippi State, 1981)
Record at Louisiana: 154-108 (eighth season), Career Record: 502-274 (25th season)

LITTLE ROCK
Head Coach: Wes Flanigan (Auburn, 1997)
Record at Little Rock: 21-41 (second season), Career Record: Same

STORY LINES
• Louisiana's five-man senior class - Frank Bartley, Jacob Broussard, Larenz Stalcup, Johnathan Stove and Bryce Washington - will be honored in a pre-game ceremony. The quintet has been a part of 47 wins during the past two years, one win shy of the best official two-year record (48) set from 1970-72.
• Louisiana looks for its first undefeated season at home since 1972-73 when the Ragin' Cajuns finished 12-0.
• Louisiana's 14-0 start at home is best start in school history.
• The Ragin' Cajuns 14 home victories are two shy of the single-season school record (16) set in 1981-82. Louisiana won 15 games at home during the 1983-84 campaign.
• Louisiana's 26 wins during the 2017-18 season are a school-record, breaking the previous mark (25) set in 1970-71, 1971-72 and 1999-2000.
• Louisiana's 17-game homecourt win streak dating back to last season is the second-longest among Division I programs. South Dakota State's 20-game homecourt win streak is the longest in the country.

LOUISIANA IN THE RANKINGS (through games of March 1)
• RPI - 35 | BPI - 47 | KenPom.com - 57 | Sagarin - 72 | WarrenNolan.com - 35

QUICK HITS
• With 1,063 career rebounds, Bryce Washington enters tonight's game two shy of passing Roy Ebron (1,064, 1970-73) for second-place on the Ragin' Cajuns all-time list.
• Louisiana's 16 victories in Sun Belt Conference play are the most in a single-season since joining the league in 1991-92.
• Louisiana is the only school nationally (through games of March 1) to win 10 games on the road and post an undefeated record (14-0) at home.
• Under head coach Bob Marlin, Louisiana is 58-30 overall in games played in February and March.
• Since the 2013-14 season when Louisiana last reached the NCAA Tournament, the Ragin' Cajuns have recorded 91 games with 80 or more points scored - the fifth-most by any Division I school during that span and trailing North Carolina (105), BYU (98), Duke (94) and Gonzaga (93).
• Louisiana is tied for second in the country with William and Mary in games making 20 or more free throws while converting at an 80-percent or greater mark (8). Xavier leads the nation with nine games.

SCOUTING THE TROJANS
• Little Rock enters the regular-season finale on a three-game losing streak after falling at ULM, 48-44, on Thursday. The Trojans last three games have been decided by a combined 11 points.
• Six players average between 6.2 and 7.3 points per game with Anthony Black and Camron Reedus leading the team at 7.3.
• Mississippi State transfer Oliver Black leads Little Rock with 6.8 rebounds per contest with Ben Marcus averaging 71 percent (75-for-106) from the floor.
• Little Rock is 6-2 in games scoring 70 points or more. The Trojans are 0-22 when scoring less than 70 points.
• As a team, Little Rock averages 63.4 points per game while allowing 69.6.
• The Trojans are 1-14 on the road with their victory coming at arch-rival Arkansas State, 82-78, on Feb. 17.

NEXT UP
• Top-seeded Louisiana opens play in the Sun Belt Conference Championships at New Orleans' Lakefront Arena on Friday at 11:30 a.m., against the winner of Wednesday's first round game between the No. 8 and No. 9 seed. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Frank Bartley

Jacob Broussard

Larenz Stalcup

Johnathan Stove

Bryce Washington

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