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Down one point with 2.4 seconds left, UL needed a miracle Saturday night against South Alabama.
The Cajuns got one courtesy of Randell Daigle, who drained a 3-pointer from just across midcourt as time expired for a 67-65 win at the Cajundome.
It was only the second shot Daigle made all night - and the first out of seven attempts from 3-point range.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20090125/SPORTS/901250343/1006" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>
Joshua Parrott •
jparrott@theadvertiser.com • January 25, 2009
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UL coach Robert Lee did not make his players available for comment as the Cajuns (7-12 overall, 4-4 Sun Belt) snapped a three-game losing streak. But Daigle's mother, Pauline Daigle, was willing to share her perspective on the game-winning shot.
"I think that was just awesome!" she said while waiting to speak with her son, who had eight points on 2-of-11 shooting. "I think he saved the best shot for last."
Unsure whether Daigle had gotten the 35-footer off in time, South Alabama coach Ronnie Arrow demanded the officials review the play. NCAA rules, though, state that a play can only be reviewed if there is a monitor located on a designated courtside table.
Arrow spent about 10 minutes arguing for a review before a replay on the scoreboard showed that the ball left Daigle's hand with one-tenth of a second to go. He eventually left the floor amid a flurry of boos from the hometown crowd as South Alabama (11-9, 4-5) lost on the road in conference play for the first time in five games this season.
"All I wanted was for someone to show it (the final shot) to me," Arrow said. "If they had showed me it, I would have left the court."
UL needed the last-second theatrics after an off-balanced 3-pointer by South Alabama's Domonic Tilford over the outstretched arms of Travis Bureau rolled into the basket for a 65-64 lead with 2.4 seconds left.
On the ensuing in-bounds play, UL's Tyren Johnson threw the ball to Daigle, who raced up the floor and hit the game-winner.
"When it left his hands, I wasn't as focused on the clock," Lee said. "I was just praying that it would go in the basket.
"When it went in and I saw the referees left, I knew it was going to be good."
Travis Bureau led UL with 18 points, while Chris Gradnigo added 13. Johnson chipped in 11 points as the Cajuns won despite shooting only 34.5 percent from the floor.
South Alabama got game-high totals of 26 points and 14 rebounds from forward DeAndre' Coleman. He made 12-of-15 free throws but had two big misses with 1:33 left as the Cajuns managed to hold a 63-62 lead.
Tilford scored 16 points, but it came on 6-of-16 shooting. All-conference forward Brandon Davis finished with only eight points and four rebounds before fouling out with six minutes remaining.
UL led nine at halftime but saw South Alabama take a 62-59 lead on Tilford's 3 with four minutes left. Back-to-back baskets by Daigle and La'Ryan Gary and a Bureau free throw gave the Cajuns a one-point lead in the final minute.
After Tilford's miraculous 3, Daigle answered with his own to win in thrilling fashion. The Cajuns will try to carry that momentum into Thursday's conference game at Middle Tennessee.
"I was proud of how my guys fought back," Arrow said. "I thought we had it after that shot (by Tilford)."
Daigle made sure that didn't happen.
"He made one or two shots late in the game," Lee said. "We have a lot of confidence in him. We're very blessed tonight that we had him on our side."
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