The Book: 2007-08 Ragin' Cajuns Basketball

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UL - Sun Belt West Division co-champion Louisiana will host one of first Sun Belt Conference Championship first round games as the Ragin’ Cajuns face the 12th-seeded Troy Trojans Wednesday at 8:05 p.m...

Louisiana’s West Division title was its first since the 2002-03 season when the Cajuns won a share of the division crowd with a 12-3 record...

Louisiana enters Wednesday’s game having lost its last two games in the Sun Belt Conference Championship. The Cajuns’ last tournament victory was March 5, 2006, against, ironically, Troy - a 62-59 overtime decision...The winner of Wednesday’s Louisiana-Troy game will face the winner of No. 4 Middle Tennessee-No. 13 ULM on Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m...The Ragin’ Cajuns have won five of the last six games (3-1 at home) and seven of the last 10...

Louisiana is now one of three schools in NCAA Division I (347 members) with no players averaging double fi gures in scoring, joining Savannah State and fellow Sun Belt West Division co-leader UALR...

Nearly eighty-three (82.8) percent of Louisiana’s offense this season comes from freshman or sophomores - the most of any Division I school in the nation. Of the Cajuns’ 1,891 points this season, only 325 of those come from seniors (Dees, Milson and Barksdale)...

On Saturday, Louisiana was whistled for a season-low eight fouls - the lowest of the Robert Lee era. It was also the first time the Cajuns committed less than 10 fouls since being called for nine fouls on Nov. 18, 2003 at Georgia Tech...

If the season ended today, newcomers Chris Gradnigo (43.6%) and Randell Daigle (39.0%) would rank in the single-season top 10 for three-point field goal percentage.

Troy Preview. Since starting the regular season 8-6, Troy (11-18) has lost 12 of its last 15 games, including an 87-66 loss to Louisiana on Jan. 27, 2008, in Troy, Ala. Nine of the Trojans’ 11 victories this season have come at Trojan Arena, while posting a 2-12 record away from Troy...

O’Darien Bassett leads all Trojans with 18.3 points per game, including a 42-point performance against Florida Atlantic on Feb. 27. Bassett has led the Trojans in scoring in 16 of 29 games this season, while posting 20 or more points nine times...Troy has scored 80 or more points 12 times this season, while Louisiana has scored 80 or more just once (against Troy).

A Win by Louisiana...would advance the Ragin’ Cajuns to the Quarterfinal Round of the Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Championship at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala. Louisiana would face the winner of No. 4 Middle Tennessee-No. 13 ULM on Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m.

A Loss by Louisiana...would end the Ragin’ Cajuns’ season at 15-15 overall.

Louisiana in the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Tournament...Louisiana is 18-11 in the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Tournament since its first season in the league (1991-92)...The Ragin’ Cajuns are 2-2 all-time in four Sun Belt Conference Basketball Tournament games at the CAJUNDOME. Louisiana has not won a SBC Tournament game at the CAJUNDOME since March 1, 1998 - an 81-65 win over Lamar.

Cajuns Clinch First Division Crown Since 2002-03...With the Sun Belt Conference West Division championship on the line, Louisiana avenged one of its worst losses last month with a 58-51 victory over the Denver Pioneers Saturday night...Louisiana’s victory guaranteed the Cajuns a share of the Sun Belt West Division title - the Cajuns’ first division title since finishing 12-3 with a share of the West Division title in 2002-03.

Gradnigo Steals the Show on Senior Night...In what has been the theme all season long, it was a freshman that stole the show on Senior Night Saturday. Freshman forward Chris Gradnigo scored a game-high 24 points, falling one point shy of his career high. Gradnigo connected on a career-high-tying 9-of-13 shots and 4-of-6 from three-point range.

Daigle Does It Again...In a reversal of recent series misfortunes, sophomore Randell Daigle torched North Texas for a career-high-tying 17 points again as the Ragin’ Cajuns kept their hopes for a Sun Belt Conference West Division title alive with a 63-58 victory Thursday night at the CAJUNDOME...In the January meeting between the teams in Denton, Daigle also scored 17 points, including five three-point field goals, but fouled out in the game’s last four minutes...The win snapped Louisiana’s four-game losing streak to North Texas. The Cajuns lost all three series meetings last season.

Whistling Victory...On Saturday, Louisiana was whistled for a season-low eight fouls - the lowest of the Robert Lee era. It was also the first the Cajuns committed less than 10 fouls since being called for nine fouls on Nov. 18, 2003 at Georgia Tech.

Interestingly Enough...In Thursday night’s game, North Texas had 14 deadball rebounds - the most of any Louisiana opponent this season. The Mean Green went 14-for-31 from the free throw line in Thursday’s loss. Fourteen (14) of those 17 misses were deadball rebounds.

Triple Happy...If the season ended today, newcomers Chris Gradnigo (43.6%) and Randell Daigle (39.0%) would rank in the single-season top 10 for three-point field goal percentage.

Select Company...Louisiana is now one of three schools in NCAA Division I (347 members) with no players averaging double figures in scoring, joining Savannah State and fellow Sun Belt West Division co-leader UALR.

Fountain of Youth...Nearly eighty-three (82.8) percent of Louisiana’s offense this season comes from freshman or sophomores - the most of any Division I school in the nation. Of the Cajuns’ 1,891 points this season, only 325 of those come from seniors (Dees, Milson and Barksdale).

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&nbsp; Robert Lee delivered the statement confidently and without wavering.

The reason for the message: UL's fourth-year head coach wants people to know the Cajun men's basketball team has dreams beyond winning a share of this season's Sun Belt Conference West Division title.

"With the group of guys we have, our goal in the next year or so is to have a legitimate shot to go to the Final Four," Lee said Monday afternoon. "I think we're in the progress stage. I think we're starting to take the necessary steps, but I do feel like the guys we have out on the perimeter, in a year or so, are going to be as talented as anybody else out there.

"Now we've got to add a couple more pieces to this puzzle, but that's the goal of our basketball team and basketball program."

But the Cajuns (15-14 overall, 11-7 SBC) have a more immediate goal in mind this week: Advance to the quarterfinals of the league's postseason tournament in Mobile, Ala. To do so, No. 5 seed UL needs to beat No. 12 seed Troy (11-18, 4-14) in a game at 8:05 Wednesday night at the Cajundome.

<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080304/SPORTS/803040324/1006" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>

Joshua Parrott
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On Jan. 27, the Cajuns went to Troy, Ala., and throttled the Trojans in an 87-66 win. It snapped a four-game Sun Belt losing streak for UL in the program's best offensive performance of the season.

The blowout at Troy also provided a turning point for the young Cajuns. Going into the game, UL had lost two consecutive games this season on three separate occasions. That included a six-game losing streak after a 79-67 season-opening win over North Alabama.

Since beating Troy, UL has not lost consecutive games. In fact, the third-youngest team in NCAA Division I basketball this season has won five of six - and seven of 10 - going into the conference tournament.

With Saturday's 58-51 win over Denver, a Cajun team picked in the preseason to finish fifth in the West earned a piece of their first division title since 2003-04.

"It's a good step for our team in the process," said Lee, whose Cajuns went 9-21 last season. "From where we were a year ago to where we are now speaks volumes to the progress we've made.

"I think we're on the right track to going to where our program wants to go."

The pieces are certainly in place. With three seniors (David Dees, Abray Milson and Maurice Barksdale) and no juniors this season, UL's core is expected to remain intact for the next two years. The Cajuns should return their three leading scorers in 2008-09 and eight of their top nine.

Expected to join the mix next season are five big men in junior-college players Jeremy Barr, Lester Ferguson and Colby Batiste and UNLV transfers Emmanuel Adeife and Lamar Roberson.

Surprisingly, five of the team's most vital contributors this season are first-year college players - guards Randell Daigle and Brandon Dison and forwards La'Ryan Gary, Chris Gradnigo and Travis Bureau.

Daigle, Dison and Gary are listed as sophomores after sitting out last season to become academically eligible. If they are on track to graduate in four years they can petition the NCAA for another year of eligibility.

A Northside product, Daigle leads the team in assists (75), 3-pointers (57) and is tied for second in steals (27). Dison has the potential to become a defensive stopper and is developing his offensive game. Gary has played out of position in the post this season for a UL team lacking size, but has the ability to play on the outside, too.

Gradnigo ranks second on the team in points per game (9.3) and 3-pointers (41). Bureau averages 7.5 points and is third on the team with 41 3-pointers. Both have the potential to become big-time scorers if they can show more consistency.

Those youngsters and sophomores Tyren Johnson, Elijah Millsap, Corey Bloom, Willie Lago and Courtney Wallace have accounted for 82.8 percent of the team's scoring this season - the highest percentage of any Division I school in the country.

With the strong end to the regular season, the Cajuns are guaranteed to finish with a .500 record for the first time in three seasons. A run to the conference tournament finals, which would likely require a semifinal upset of top-seeded South Alabama, could be enough to earn them an NIT bid.

Without a doubt, expectations are high for UL's future. Daigle shared his thoughts after Saturday's win over Denver.

"We shall be picked to finish first next year," he said, "and the years to follow."




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I love this confidence! I've heard a lot of negative things said about Coach Lee by some fans but I think he has done a great job with what he inherited. Jesse Evans left Coach Lee with a somewhat dirty program. I think he has cleaned it up, gone after players that fit into his scheme and I can't wait to see the next two seasons. People are going to say he's crazy but you can't look down on him for having confidence in his players.

That's the attitude we need in football:D

I'm 100% behind this kind of rhetoric. Throw your big ones out there and let em ride. It instills confidence in the team, it says that the program is going to hunt, it tells fans that our bar is as high as it gets... I like it!

Of course, it sets Lee up for even more criticism from the nay-sayers... but what the heck... bring on those chaps and we'll slap sum chapstick, blistex or sum corn-oil or sumpin on dem and be good to go!

It tells prospects that we are not trying to inch our way back in the show, but are storming back. The only people that don't like this kind of swagger are people that don't like our program or don't like Coach Lee.

Me likes it! Now... let's back up that talk!!!

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Originally Posted by Cajunsmike

_ Wednesday night's game is a little different ..............students are admitted with their ID (no charge). How do you guys think this game will turn out? _

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Cajuns win, no doubt, and should be with a double-digit margin..~.

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Originally Posted by UL_Cajuns

_ Don't count your chickens before they hatch, one game at a time. I learned this a long time ago with Cajun athletics. _

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AMEN!..We only have one game to look at for the time being. People on here make predictions without looking at what is right in front of them.

I remember predictions of 8 and 3 in football. Some even predicted a great basketball season. Baseball? well even the media was fooled on that one.

You say you learned it a long time ago? I hit 60 recently and it's never been any different except for basketball when Beryl Shipley was coaching, then it was understood we'd be good.

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Originally Posted by Just1More

_ I'm 100% behind this kind of rhetoric. Throw your big ones out there and let em ride. It instills confidence in the team, it says that the program is going to hunt, it tells fans that our bar is as high as it gets... I like it!

Of course, it sets Lee up for even more criticism from the nay-sayers... but what the heck... bring on those chaps and we'll slap sum chapstick, blistex or sum corn-oil or sumpin on dem and be good to go!

It tells prospects that we are not trying to inch our way back in the show, but are storming back. The only people that don't like this kind of swagger are people that don't like our program or don't like Coach Lee.

Me likes it! Now... let's back up that talk!!! _

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What Lee did after the horrific start deserves our support and applause. Needs to keep the momentum going and maybe we can return to the status we enjoyed years ago in basketball.

the main thing is everyone needs to get out to the dome and support this team. we always hear the story that "i would support them if they would only win." well...it's time to put up or shut up for some people around here. if you can't support this team, being as young as it is, and what they've accomplished this year, then there's something wrong with you.

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Originally Posted by Just1More

It doesn't matter how it starts, or by whom. It just needs to continue. When it gets contagious and enough keep it up no matter if a few people come and go, it will become a tradition. All I know is... I'm liking it... I want compliment those who got it going and I want them to know we are all happy for it.

I hope that Rhineaux can get the cheerleaders to follow his board thing. I would think they would be looking for options instead of standing out in front of a bunch of people that aren't following them. On TOs, we get quiet, just as the opposition wants. Instead, we could be holding a Ragin-Cajun thing back and forth and we would pick right back up with the action.

I'm liking it... we are the 6th man... and the 6th man wins you 1 to 4 games you wouldn't normally take per year.

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We have been waiting for a fan like you (and others that go to the games with you) to finally get those students to stand up and BE LOUD! Keep up the good work!

Thanks. Yall have been doing this for years, there just wasnt enough people to add to it. I was with yall during the western kentucky game. i was the one with the "baa means no" sign. And yall are a blast to be with. Jokes non stop and just screwin with the other team. Especially the last guy on the bench. We will be able to feed off each other and get something going.

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Originally Posted by RaginCajun2010

Thanks. Yall have been doing this for years, there just wasnt enough people to add to it. I was with yall during the western kentucky game. i was the one with the "baa means no" sign. And yall are a blast to be with. Jokes non stop and just screwin with the other team. Especially the last guy on the bench. We will be able to feed off each other and get something going.

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I wasn't there for the WKY game, so I don't know what happened down there, except for the fact that I missed one hell of a good time.

I can't wait! Should be fun.

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Originally Posted by Big Buds

_ I can't wait! Should be fun. _

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Much more fun than the second half of the Houston/UL baseball game.

We've got a group of about 10 to add behind the visitor's bench. We'll be giving them as much hell as we can!

I love the fact that if the Cajuns win this game, they are guranteed at least a winning record for the year. Considering they started 1-6, that doesn't suck.

I just saw on the news Coach Robert Lee requesting that everyone wear their white shirts they got on Saturday for the game Wednesday night. So everyone wear their shirts! And if you did not get one or the one you got does not fit, then simply wear a different white shirt! Lets get a big crowd for this game and white out the dome again... and be loud!

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&nbsp; As many UL men's basketball fans still bask in the glow of being Sun Belt Conference West Division co-champions, Robert Lee has turned his attention to the league's postseason tournament.

The Ragin' Cajun coach knows better than to overlook a 12th-seeded Troy team that gets up and down the floor as much as any team in the country.

"Troy is a basketball team that on any given night can beat you because of the way they play," said Lee, whose No. 5 seeded Cajuns (15-14 overall) play Troy (11-18) at 8:05 tonight at the Cajundome. "We understand that we're going to have to play a really outstanding game to win.

"Our focus is on Troy because we know it's a do-or-die situation, and in tournament play anything can happen."

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When Troy takes the court, there are few surprises. The Trojans have done the same thing on both ends of the court since coach Don Maestri took over 26 years ago. On defense, they are averaging 8.5 steals this season while alternating between a 2-3 and 1-2-2 zone, which forces opponents to beat them from the outside.

Offensively, Troy lives and dies with the 3-point shot. The Trojans rank second nationally with 11.1 3-pointers made per game and 36th with 77.1 points per game.

UL used a strong second half to grab an 87-66 win at Troy on Jan. 27 in the program's best offensive night of the season. But the Trojan defensive approach could produce problems for a Cajun team that is shooting only 41.5 percent from the field this season.

Troy is 2-12 this season away from home, while UL is 8-5 at the Cajundome.

"We've got to make some jumpers and outside shots," Lee said. "We had success at Troy because we were able to make some outside shots. Our guys who can shoot the basketball have to be very efficient.

"We need to attack the zone the same way: The ball needs to go inside and we'll play off that."

UL enters the postseason on fire with five wins in its last six games and seven in its last 10. With Saturday's 58-51 win at home over Denver, the Cajuns earned a share of a division title for the first time since 2003-04 after being picked in the preseason to finish fifth in the West. Denver shot 51 percent from the floor, but committed 19 turnovers because of UL's flustering defense.

Forward Chris Gradnigo fueled UL's offensive attack with a game-high 24 points - one off his career high - on 9-of-13 shooting. He drilled shots all over the court, including 4-of-6 3-pointers.

Over his last four games, Gradnigo is averaging 17 points - more than seven above his per-game average this season. The freshman from Lake Charles is eager to continue his hot shooting tonight for the third-youngest team in NCAA Division I basketball this season.

"My confidence is high right now," he said. "I just feel good. I'm healthy. The sky is the limit."

Troy will bring its own scoring machine to the Cajundome in guard O'Darien Bassett. The senior, named a second-team all-conference pick on Tuesday, is averaging 18.3 points this season - the fourth-most in the Sun Belt.

"We know Troy has one of the best players in the league in O'Darien Bassett," Lee said. "He's a kid who two games ago had 42 points, so we know he's capable of coming in and winning the game by himself.

"Our basketball team is going to have to respond defensively if we're going to have a chance to win."

UL has lost two straight games in the Sun Belt tournament. The Cajuns haven't won in the postseason since beating Troy, 62-59, in overtime on March 5, 2006.

Tonight's winner will move on to play the winner of No. 4 Middle Tennessee State and No. 13 UL Monroe in a quarterfinal game at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Mitchell Center in Mobile, Ala.

Lee is happy to be playing tonight at home, but said his young Cajuns must grow up quickly to survive and advance. This season, 82.8 percent of UL's scoring has been by freshmen or sophomores - the highest percentage of any Division I school in the country.

"We're never in the position to be overly confident of anything because the majority of our players have never played in a conference tournament," Lee said. "You never know how those guys are going to respond, especially in tournament play because every possession is magnified. The pressure and intensity of the game is so much more.

"I'm not sure how my guys will respond, but I can tell you this: We will not be over-confident in any way."





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Originally Posted by Cajun Saint

_ the main thing is everyone needs to get out to the dome and support this team. we always hear the story that "i would support them if they would only win." well...it's time to put up or shut up for some people around here. if you can't support this team, being as young as it is, and what they've accomplished this year, then there's something wrong with you. _

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Do you realize the number of excuses for not attending that you have caused to be made up....it's an eight o'clock start time, its the middle of the week, too many fans, too noisy, too many students standing, probably won't win, blah, blah,blah, ad nauseum?

I shall be there with bells on. 77 year old bells, at that!!:D:..O...~...O..

GEAUX CAJUNS !!

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Originally Posted by CajunCharlie

_ Do you realize the number of excuses for not attending that you have caused to be made up....it's an eight o'clock start time, its the middle of the week, too many fans, too noisy, too many students standing, probably won't win, blah, blah,blah, ad nauseum?

I shall be there with bells on. 77 year old bells, at that!!:D:..O...~...O..

GEAUX CAJUNS !! _

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Too many excuses indeed. I noticed that a lot of BCS conferences have games on Sunday at noon and still get 15,000 to attend. There are no excuses in a town like Lafayette. It is time for Lafayette to become a true college town and support this school like a BCS program.

I couldn't have said it better.

I died when I found this! Hilarious and definitely a must for our crowd...STAND UP OLD PEOPLE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_76U...eature=related

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UL - Troy erased a nine-point halftime deficit, outscoring Louisiana 44-25 in the second half, as the 12th-ranked Trojans upset the West Division champion Ragin' Cajuns 70-60 Wednesday in the Sun Belt Conference Championship First Round.

The win ends Louisiana's season at 15-15 overall, finishing with an 8-6 record at the CAJUNDOME. Troy (12-18) advances to the quarterfinals of the SBC Championship to face No. 4 Middle Tennessee on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Mobile, Ala.

Chris Gradnigo (Lake Charles, La.) led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, converting on 4-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Randell Daigle (Lafayette, La.) finished with 16 points in 38 minutes, while La'Ryan Gary (Lafayette, La.) added 11 points and eight rebounds.

Troy's Jerome Odem and Brandon Hazzard finished with a team-high 16 points. Justin Jonus added 14, while Michael Vogler chipped in 13. As a team, Troy shot nearly 64 percent (14-of-22) from the floor in the second half.

Louisiana entered the second half clinging to a nine-point lead, but Troy quickly chipped away at the lead. Troy opened on a 21-8 run which ultimately sank the Cajuns with less than 11 minutes remaining in the game.

Troy took its first lead since the opening minute of game when Jonus nailed a triple from the left wing, giving the Trojans a 45-43 edge with 10:47 remaining in the second half. The Cajuns fell behind by five points, 51-46, until Gradnigo delivered a 24-footer trey from the right side, brining the CAJUNDOME crowd to its feet.

The Trojans' lead climbed to as much as 10 points, 65-55, with 1:20 remaining after Odem drilled a pair of free throws. Troy's lead reached 10 points two more times in the final 60 seconds, including the final tally.

Louisiana opened the first half with a six-point lead, 18-12, at the 9:59 mark. The Cajuns, which have struggled on the boards for most of the season, had 11 of the 15 total rebounds in the game's first 10 minutes. Eleven of Louisiana's first 18 points came from freshmen Gradnigo and Bureau.

The Cajuns would jump out to as much as a 10-point lead, 26-16, with 7:15 remaining in the first half. Louisiana's mid-half run was fueled by consecutive triples from Gradnigo.

Troy soon rebounded from the 10-point deficit with a quick 6-0 run, cutting Louisiana's lead to 26-22 with 4:00 left in the first half. However, the Cajuns' lead would reach nine before the break as Daigle hit a running jumper as time expired for a 35-26 halftime lead.

Gradnigo led all scorers with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting in 30 minutes with three of the four field goals coming from three-point range. Gary added nine points and five rebounds.

Louisiana made 14 field goals in the first half, while holding the Trojans to just 9-of-20 shooting.


<center> Chris Yandle

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