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Robert Lee's plan for Sunday - known in college basketball circles as Selection Sunday - included traveling to Houston to watch the Rockets and L.A. Lakers fight for sole possession of first place in the NBA's Western Conference.
Normally, though, Lee would have been glued to the television on Selection Sunday as the NCAA Tournament field of 65 was revealed. There's nothing quite like the NCAA Tournament, and the fourth-year head coach should know since the Cajuns have made the "Big Dance" three times during his 12 years with the program.
"When you have tasted the NCAA Tournament as a coach and as a fan, there's nothing like it," Lee said. "When you're not a part of it after being there, it's a very difficult experience to go through."
That said, Lee knows where he wants to be this time next year: Holding a Selection Sunday party with his players and coaches in UL's student union anxiously awaiting the Cajuns' first-round pairing for the start of March Madness.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080317/SPORTS/803170322/1006" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>
Joshua Parrott
jparrott@theadvertiser.com
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Such plans make sense after a 2007-08 season that exceeded expectations. Coming off a 9-21 season, the Cajuns were picked in the preseason to finish fifth in the Sun Belt's West Division with the nation's third-youngest roster. They did more than that, sharing the West title with Arkansas-Little Rock after going 11-7 in Sun Belt play, although the Trojans won the tie-breaker to earn a bye in the SBC Tournament.
It marked the first time since 2003-04 the Cajuns, who finished 15-15 overall, won a divisional title. They had not posted a .500 record since 2004-05. Despite the success, UL did not have at least one player named to the All-Sun Belt team for the first time since 1994-95.
"From where we've come from, I think it speaks volumes to the progress we've made," said Lee, whose Cajuns were upset at home by Troy, 70-60, in the SBC Tournament quarterfinals. "For our team to get a share of the West Division championship was a big accomplishment."
Unlike UL's critics, freshman Chris Gradnigo was not surprised by this season's success.
"Coach Lee told us, compared to his past teams, that we had as much talent as any of them," Gradnigo said. "We just had to work hard and show everyone we could play.
"We just put our minds to it and did."
The Cajuns struggled at times offensively because they lacked a consistent playmaking threat and featured five first-year college players. UL, which had three seniors and no juniors, committed 121 more turnovers than assists and finished in the bottom tier of the Sun Belt in points scored, field-goal shooting, 3-point shooting and free-throw shooting.
Sophomore point guard Randell Daigle dished out 76 assists compared to 52 turnovers, but his shooting ability remains ahead of his playmaking skills. When he was successful, blood-sugar issues related to his diabetes forced limited court time in practices and games.
With little stability at the point, the Cajuns averaged 65 points in 30 games to finish with their lowest scoring average since moving up to Division I in 1971-72. They won only five games against teams with .500 records, but lost a combined seven games to opponents expected to play in either the NIT or NCAA Tournament, including Oral Roberts, UAB, Tennessee, Western Kentucky, South Alabama and UALR (twice).
Lee said his players must improve their strength, fundamentals and leadership to build on being the West co-champions. This season, the Cajuns went 2-12 when trailing with five minutes to go.
"Hopefully, we'll be a lot more mature next season," Lee said. "We're going to have to be much better offensively to reach the goals we want to reach."
For the season, Gradnigo averaged a team-high 9.6 points and scored at least 20 points five times. The Lake Charles native was the first Cajun since Bill Moody in 1949-50 to lead the team in scoring without averaging double figures. Savannah State and UALR were the only other NCAA Division I teams without at least one player averaging double figures in scoring.
Gradnigo topped the 20-point mark in three of his last five games, averaging 17.6 points over that stretch as his confidence grew.
"The last month of the season he started to put in a lot of extra work on his game," Lee said. "He said the game was starting to slow down for him. He wasn't in a rush like he was earlier in the year."
Gradnigo's scoring touch was obvious. He shot 44.1 percent from 3-point range - the third-best mark in program history. A strong offseason and added consistency could make Gradnigo one of the Sun Belt's top scorers next season.
But he shared the scoring load. Five other players averaged between 7.4 and 9.4 points. In fact, the Cajuns got 83.2 percent of their scoring from freshmen and sophomores - the most by any Division I school this season.
Defensively, the Cajuns held opponents to 65.8 points per game - the lowest in the school's Division I history. But with senior Abray Milson the only Cajun standing at least 6-foot-9, UL logged a negative-2.3 rebounding margin per game.
The Cajuns appear to have fixed that problem, signing three junior-college post players in Jeremy Barr, Lester Ferguson and Colby Batiste during the early signing period. They also added two UNLV transfers in 6-10 center Emmanuel Adeife and 6-8 forward Lamar Roberson.
Add that with what's returning, and the Cajuns are expected to return their top three scorers - and eight of their top nine overall - to a squad that shared the West championship.
"Expectations will be high," Gradnigo said. "With our big guys coming in, we'll probably be the (conference) favorite."
Lee has hinted that the Cajuns might sign another player during the late-signing period in April. Regardless of whether that happens, Lee said UL's goal for next season is simple: Advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004-05.
"In seven months, I think you'll see our basketball team predicted to be atop the Sun Belt Conference," he said. "Our goals next year will be very high."
And if things work out, Lee will be spending Selection Sunday next year preparing for a return trip to the NCAA Tournament.
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