2002-2003 Basketball Season
<center><a href="https://forumeus.com/louisiana/history/rp-basketball-m.htm"><img src="https://forumeus.com/images/buttons/button-pageback.jpg"></a><h3>20-10 NIT Birth</h3>
<center><h4>
<a href="https://forumeus.com/louisiana/seasons/2002-03-basketball-teamstat.htm">Team Stats for each game. Reverse chronological order</a></h4></center><blockquote><p align=justify>Below is a post by post, game by game look at the season. It starts before anyone quite knew what the schedule would be . . . Hopefully it captures how some felt as the season progressed. <i>Included are key newspaper articles, if a link is broken please inform the webmaster.</i>
Cajun hoopsters move on despite academic losses
<blockquote><p align=justify>LAFAYETTE - How much will Louisiana miss Michael Southall?
The Ragin' Cajuns would miss him more next March than they will at the beginning of the season, when the star sophomore center will be sidelined by academic problems, since he will be allowed to practice with the team.
But coach Jessie Evans' squad will still have to cope with Southall being unavailable for games until the fall semester is complete.
Also out until the Dec. 8 Birmingham Southern game are guard Laurie Bridges and forward-center Cedric Williams
"It shouldn't be a distraction," Immanuel Washington said. "We all have our assignments to do. It's a big loss, but we'll just have to fight through it. Hopefully we'll be at full strength for the season so we can reach our goal of making it to the NCAA Tournament.
"We have to develop teamwork and commit ourselves to basketball. First of all, we have to take care of our business in the classroom. Then, on the floor, we all have to know our role with the team and to do what coach asks of you."
Southall arrived with practice under way at Blackham Coliseum on Monday, appropriately enough coming from class, as his teammates got warmed up.
"I think it will help us," Brad Boyd said. "For those first two games, somebody's going to have to step up in their place. Then, once the other guys come back and eventually take their place in the lineup, the others are going to have the ability to perform when they get in the game.
"It's not good that they're out, but it could help us in the long run."
Khadim Kandji and Chris Cameron are two obvious choices to fill in for Southall, but if it takes him time to get his rhythm back the Cajuns could miss his 13-point, 7.5-rebound average.
Boyd, Washington and swingman Anthony Johnson (14.9 ppg, 7.0 rebounds) are other starters returning for the Cajuns, who finished 20-11 last season and made the NIT. Another year of eligibility is still pending for point guard Blane Harmon.
"Leadership is what this team is lacking," Evans said. "We were without Blane last year, but were able to recover and win 20 games. Leadership is something we'll try to cultivate as we go along.
"You'd like for your seniors to step up, and we've seen that from Khadim, Robert Jupiter and Anthony. Even Immanuel has stepped up. They're starting to emerge. You don't have to be the leading scorer or rebounder. You can lead by talk and by example.
"We have to have someone that the others can look up to."
"Everybody should take part of the responsibility of leadership," Washington said. "For yourselves, first, and as a team. It's not just one person."
Boyd wasn't thinking about who the Cajuns will miss when the season starts. He's more focused on a different ending in 2003.
"I felt we underachieved last year," Boyd said. "We had a lot of starters who were juniors and sophomores, our starting center was a freshman and I'm sure there were butterflies for big games. This year everybody is more confident, not as nervous.
"I felt we should have gone 25-8 and gone to the NCAA. I want to go to the big tournament."
It will take every available Cajun to make that happen.
</blockquote>South Louisiana Publishing
Bruce Brown
<i>Web Link broken</i>
Mid Major TOP 25 UPDATED: October 15, 2002
Record Last Season
1 Western Kentucky 28-4 3
2 Gonzaga 29-4 2
3 Pepperdine 22-9 8
4 Southern Illinois 28-8 5
5 Creighton 23-9 4
6 Pennsylvania 25-7 11
7 Ball State 23-12 15
8 Louisiana 20-11 20
9 Ohio 17-11 NR
10 UC-Irvine 21-11 18
11 Tennessee Tech 27-7 7
12 UC-Santa Barbara 20-11 21
13 Utah State 23-8 12
14 East Tennessee State 18-10 NR
15 Niagara 18-14 NR
16 UNC-Wilmington 23-10 10
17 Arkansas-Little Rock 18-11 NR
18 Wisconsin-Milwaukee 16-10 NR
19 Yale 21-11 24
20 Butler 26-6 6
21 Manhattan 20-9 NR
22 Eastern Washington 17-13 NR
23 Weber State 18-11 NR
24 Kent State 30-6 1
25 Oral Roberts 17-14 NR
OTHERS RECEIVING CONSIDERATION: Akron, Alcorn State, Boston University, Bowling Green, Canisius, Central Connecticut State, Colgate, College of Charleston, Davidson, Detroit, Drake, Drexel, George Mason, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Hampton, Holy Cross, Iona, IUPUI, Jacksonville, Lamar, Loyola-Chicago, Mercer, McNeese State, Miami, Montana State, Morehead State, Murray State, New Mexico State, New Orleans, UNC Asheville, UNC Greensboro, North Texas, Oakland, Sam Houston State, Samford, San Francisco, Valparaiso, Vermont, Virginia Commonwealth, Wagner, Western Michigan.
VOTING PANEL
Bart Bellairs (VMI), Tim Buckley (Ball State), Rick Byrd (Belmont), Tim Carter (Texas-San Antonio), Tom Conrad (East Tennessee State), Dan Dakich (Bowling Green), Jeff DiBattisto (Gardner-Webb), Pat Douglass (UC Irvine), Scott Drew (Valparaiso), Hugh Durham (Jacksonville), Jessie Evans (Louisiana), Bruiser Flint (Drexel), John Giannini (Maine), Mike Gillian (George Mason), Seth Greenberg (South Florida), Don Harnum (Rider), Barry Hinson (Southwest Missouri State), Brad Holland (San Diego), Greg Kampe (Oakland), Billy Lee (Campbell), Kyle Macy (Morehead State), Dave Magarity (Marist), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Steve Merfeld (Evansville), Alex Peavy (Wofford), John Robic (Youngstown State), Ed Schilling (Wright State), Patrick Sellers (Central Connecticut State), Patrick Skerry (William & Mary), Pete Strickland (Coastal Carolina), Perry Watson (Detroit)
NOTE: The Mid-Major Poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Continent, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Sun Belt, West Coast.
The CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Top 25 is now in its fourth year of existence.
Sun Belt coaches seek more NCAA spots
<blockquote><p align=justify>NEW ORLEANS - The Sun Belt Conference men's basketball coaches are in agreement on two things.
They all agree that the Sun Belt will be in line for more than one bid to the NCAA Tournament after this season.
And, they feel that they're playing enough quality teams in non-conference play to solidify those spots - if they take care of business.
"It all depends on what happens against the non-conference teams early," said long-time New Mexico State head coach Lou Henson. "But we have the teams in this league good enough to win a lot of those games."
"We need wins in November and December against quality opponents," said New Orleans boss Monte Towe.
The league coaches wrapped up their annual Media Day activities Wednesday with high hopes, both as a league and as individual teams. Consider:
* Nine of the 11 conference teams have four or more starters returning;
* Six members of last year's 10-man all-league team are back this season along with four of the five honorable mention selections;
* Four members of the five-man all-tournament team from last year's meet return; and
* In a unique situation, the last two Players of the Year are still around.
"I was pretty excited about my team with the players we have returning," said UL Lafayette's Jessie Evans, "and then I got the conference media guide."
"That's pretty incredible that nine teams have four or five starters back," said Porter Moser of Arkansas-Little Rock. "That means you can't just assume because you have guys back, you're going to be good."
Among those returnees is Western Kentucky senior center Chris Marcus, who wasn't expected to return to school two years ago after being heralded as one of the nation's top centers. The 7-foot-1, 285-pound standout struggled through an injury-plagued 2001-02 season, playing in only 15 games after bypassing the NBA Draft, but was still selected as the league's preseason Player of the Year.
Marcus once again passed on the draft last spring, with his ankle injury preventing him from taking part in workouts for NBA clubs. He had surgery late in the spring and has not begun on-court practice for the coming season.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/61374D2A-149F-4604-BED5-D24AC7962EF0.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
"He didn't have any setbacks during the summer after the surgery," said WKU head coach Dennis Felton. "He's working out two or three times a day, and the doctors are pleased with his progress. He's never been on any kind of a timetable.
"For his future, this season is all about getting healthy. When he's healthy, he's the best center in the country."
Marcus' absence for much of last season set up the two Players of the Year both in action this season. Marcus won the honor in 2000-01, and newcomer Hector Romero of New Orleans was last year's Player of the Year after recording 17 "double-double" games.
Romero, a native of Barcelona, Venezuela, went home during the summer and played in an international league.
"That improved all aspects of my game," Romero said. "You're playing against grown men in those leagues, and you have to play more of a mental brand of basketball."
Those two joined fellow senior Chris Davis of North Texas, junior forward Nick Zachery of Arkansas-Little Rock and UL Lafayette sophomore center Michael Southall on the preseason all-conference first team. Ragin' Cajun senior forward Anthony Johnson was the top pick on the second team.
Marcus, Romero and Southall make up a trio of centers that are the equal of virtually any league's frontcourt players, according to several press-day participants.
"There's a lot of competition in this league," said Davis, who was an All-Big West Conference pick before UNT joined the Sun Belt. "There are a lot of good players, especially big guys, and it's going to make it very competitive."
"You see SEC-type players at the front-line positions on a lot of these teams," said new Middle Tennessee coach Kermit Davis, who was John Brady's top assistant at LSU for the last five seasons.
Nine of the 15 players named to the first, second and third-team preseason all-league squads are seniors. Southall, who averaged 13.0 points and 7.5 rebounds as a freshman to rank third in the conference on the boards, and Zachery were the only underclassmen on the first team.
All league teams were represented on the preseason team except for Arkansas State, a team snake-bit by major injuries last year. That problem has carried over to this year's preseason drills, with senior guard Terrance Saulsberry going down with a season-ending knee injury in the team's third practice session.
"We thought we got all of that out of the way last year," said ASU boss Dickey Nutt. "I guess the minute you think nothing else can happen, something else happens. That's not good in this league, because I think this is going to be the toughest year of all time in the Sun Belt."
-->
Experience on the side of Cajuns on court
<blockquote><p align=justify>Advertisers-Dan McDonald
LAFAYETTE - Experience is on the side of Louisiana's men's basketball squad.
No more talk about the youthfulness of the Ragin' Cajuns.
Nine of last year's top 11 scorers return from last year's 20-11 unit, and all nine of them started at one point during a campaign in which the Cajuns were 60 seconds away from a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
They got the consolation prize, an NIT tournament berth, and the players departed from that squad combined to average only 12.7 points per game. Australian newcomer Chris Cameron, now eligible, may get that many by himself.
But Jessie Evans has already sounded words of warning. Experience alone won't win the Sun Belt Conference this year.
"I was excited about my team and how many players we have returning," he said at the league's Media Day, "and then I got the conference media guide."
Nine of the 11 Sun Belt teams have four or more starters returning, an amazing number.
"There's a lot of parity in this league," said Evans, who enters his sixth year at the Cajun helm averaging over 18 wins per year in his career. "There are a number of teams that can make postseason play."
Count his UL Lafayette squad among them, especially if three key components - sophomore center Michael Southall, junior swingman Laurie Bridges and first-year sophomore forward Cedric Williams - survive their academic turmoil as expected.
That trio is ineligible for games prior to the end of the fall term, but will miss only two outings (Nov. 23 at Mississippi State and Nov. 27 at McNeese) if they fulfill classroom requirements and become part of a very deep team.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/2E7FF462-242C-40D5-A2EF-515B1FB1CDB3.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
"We're going to have the options of playing a lot of people," said Evans. "We can be very flexible in what we're trying to do."
It's almost definite, though, that most of the options will have something to do with Southall and senior swingman Anthony Johnson.
The mercurially-talented Johnson has averaged 15.5 and 14.9 points in his last two Cajun seasons and earned all-league and All-Sun Belt Tournament honors last season when he averaged 16.3 points in conference play. But Evans said that fans will see a new "AJ" this season.
"He took it to heart that he needed to get bigger and stronger," Evans said. "He's rebuilt himself a lot. He's bigger, but he may also be quicker, and now he can go to the basket and absorb fouls and get to the line."
Johnson, who shot 81 percent from the stripe last year, missed a couple of early-season practice days with a torn shoulder muscle ("that's a muscle he didn't have last year," Evans kidded) but has looked impressive in preseason scrimmages.
Southall struggled in early fall drills, but should be a force in the Sun Belt once again when he rounds into form. He, Bridges and Williams have been able to go through all of the team's workouts, but cannot see game action until fall semester grades are posted.
Southall ranked among the nation's top 15 shot blockers and led the team in rebounding and field goal percentage (.544) on the way to earning Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors and the respect of coaches around the league.
Evans, though, said that the encouraging thing is that the 6-foot-11 Southall is being challenged in practice.
"Our guys have been making him work hard," he said. "We know what kind of talent he has, but he's also got to keep working hard to get better in a league that's got a lot of very good big people. Chris Cameron has been a surprise in practice ... he's heard all year that he had to go inside and bang around, and he's done that."
Cameron sat out last season but will see extensive front-line action, providing mobility on the baseline for a unit that also includes returning senior Khadim Kandji and the highly-regarded Williams.
Brad Boyd and Kenneth Lawrence split time at point guard last year, with Boyd filling that role most of the latter part of the season. They combined for 215 assists - a vital number since senior Blane Harmon was lost all of last season with an injury and is a longshot at best to be granted a hardship year.
Bridges, who averaged 7.2 points in a reserve role, senior Robert Jupiter and junior Antoine Landry all started games last season in the backcourt.
"We're coming along," Evans said. "We're making progress, but there's a lot to be made. The good thing about having so many guys is that there's no loafing. There's always somebody ready to get in there and get after it."
-->
Cajun hoopsters finally move to 'Dome
<blockquote><p align=justify>Advertisers-Dan McDonald
LAFAYETTE - For the new players on the UL men's basketball squad, it's the big white building with the round top on Congress Street.
Until Monday afternoon, for some members of the Ragin' Cajun squad, that was the only significance the Cajundome has had since the start of the fall semester.
On Monday, the team was able to conduct practice in the facility for the first time, two days prior to the team's exhibition opener against the Slovakian national team.
"Our guys were excited just to get in here," said Cajun coach Jessie Evans after the team worked out for just under two hours Monday afternoon. "The floor's down the rest of this week, so I told them that every opportunity they had, they can come over and shoot some, get accustomed to the building, the atmosphere and the surroundings."
The Cajuns tip off their season at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday as part of a doubleheader with the Louisiana women's squad, which hosts Henderson State in a 4:30 p.m. exhibition opener.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/D658B26C-91E9-46A9-8496-CE9492EABB67.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
It will be the first of two twinbills in four days, with the Cajun men hosting Arkansas Tech on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. after the Cajun women meet the Houston Jaguars at 4:30 p.m.
"It really hurts when you don't have a chance to practice where you play," Evans said. "I read a story from Western Kentucky that said the reason they lost to the Globetrotters (an exhibition game last week) was that it was the first day that they'd been able to get into Diddle Arena.
"They know now what we go through constantly."
The Slovaks, though, won't concern themselves about the Cajuns' lack of game-floor time. They'll play on different floors throughout a two-week tour of the South.
"I hope the things they do are entirely different than what we do," Evans said, "so we can get an indication of how far we are defensively. The foreign teams usually work well together as a team, shoot well from the perimeter and look to run.
"That's all things we need to see and work on ... contesting shots, playing solid defense and running the floor."
The Cajun squad opened practice back on Oct. 12 and hit the one-month mark in workouts on Monday. The Cajuns have held three full-scale scrimmages, but Wednesday's contest will be the first against an outside entity.
Evans said he wants to look at everything - and everybody - in Wednesday's action. He expects every eligible and available player to see extensive minutes in both exhibition games.
"We need to see if we continue to share the ball like we have in practice and see if we keep playing enthusiastically," he said. "We also have to develop some leaders. We need somebody, a perimeter guy or a big guy, it doesn't matter, to step up and give us some leadership vocally."
-->
Cajuns use offensive explosion in exhibition win
<blockquote><p align=justify>Advertisers-Dan McDonald
LAFAYETTE - Head coach Jessie Evans, and virtually everybody else in the Cajundome Wednesday night, heaped praise on the offensive performance of UL Lafayette's men's basketball squad.
Well they should, since the Ragin' Cajuns rang up 111 points in their exhibition opener.
Now, for defense ...
"Defensively, we have a lot of work to do," Evans said after his squad posted a 111-86 win over Sport Tours' Slovakia Select team. "I thought we did a fine job offensively and we're going to get better, but teams like that are going to stay right in it because they shoot the three so well."
The touring visitors gunned in 50.9 percent from the floor mostly from the perimeter, and Andrej Lukjanec had 45 points by himself including six three-pointers.
They couldn't keep pace with the Cajun gunners, though, especially in the second half when UL hit 23-of-40 shots from the floor and added eight more three-pointers to the seven they hit in the first 20 minutes.
"Coach has been pushing us offensively," said junior guard Brad Boyd, who nailed eight treys himself on the way to 31 points. "We're running more of a motion set with a lot of cutting to the hole and screening and not as much pattern offense."
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/50F4B595-B891-4847-9237-6A717E3DC143.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
The motion worked, especially in the first half when the Cajuns raced out to an 11-0 lead and led by 20 at 5:37 before halftime when Boyd's back-to-back baskets made it 41-21.
Still, it was an 11-point 92-81 game with less than five minutes left.
"We didn't get after their shooters as well as we should," said first-time Cajun Chris Cameron, who had 11 points and six rebounds in his debut. "It was pretty good for our first try, but we have a lot to work on."
Anthony Johnson had 30 points on 11-of-19 shooting and had nine of those first 11 points in the opening three minutes. His two free throws after a technical foul also provided a 24-5 lead at the 12:40 mark.
"This was a coming-out game for us," said Johnson, who had 18 points by halftime. "The offense was there, but the defense wasn't. We've got a lot of people out, and we're not really used to playing without them."
The Cajuns played minus an ineligible threesome of Michael Southall, Cedric Williams and Laurie Bridges, who are sidelined until the end of the fall term. Robert Davis is also awaiting academic clearance, Blane Harmon is still involved in an appeal to receive an additional year of eligibility, and Chris Cucchira is redshirting.
Evans still utilized 11 different players on Wednesday, though, and five players finished in double figures. Kenneth Lawrence had 14 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and four steals and Robert Jupiter had 10 points.
The Slovaks staged a rally late in the first half and cut the intermission margin to 52-39, and the Cajuns never were able to break things open until a 12-0 two-minute spurt late in the game.
"We did a good job in the first half with a lot of things," Evans said. "In the second half we got a little lax. But we got a mark on the wall. It's good to get a win and get in this kind of work against different opposition."
They'll get another opportunity in the final exhibition Saturday when the Cajuns host Arkansas Tech in a 7:05 p.m. Cajundome battle.
"It'll be different then," Evans said. "We knew tonight against this team that we'd have to utilize the perimeter shot and that inside scoring would be tough."
-->
Cajuns roll to easy win in final exhibition
<blockquote><p align=justify>Advrtisers-Dan McDonald
LAFAYETTE - Louisiana started its Saturday night exhibition basketball contest with an odd starting lineup and no sign of either Anthony Johnson or Brad Boyd.
It probably wouldn't have mattered against an outmanned Arkansas Tech squad if those two hadn't played at all, but when they hit the floor seven minutes into the action school was officially out for the visiting Wonderboys.
Boyd and Johnson teamed for 46 points in 52 minutes of playing time, and that and Chris Cameron's all-around floor game helped provide the Cajuns with a 95-74 victory in the last outing before the season begins for real next weekend.
Louisiana head coach Jessie Evans benched several of his regulars for a while on Saturday.
"We had several guys late getting to the weight room Thursday," he said, "and it's now getting to the time where you start paying a price for mistakes."
The unit of Cameron, forwards Chris Williams and Robert Davis, and guards Scooter Owens and Immanuel Washington played the game's first seven minutes and trailed 10-9 on Daniel Watson's three-point basket at the 13:25 mark.
That's when Boyd, Johnson and Kenneth Lawrence entered, . . .<br><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/5FA08F1D-B8D0-4D3E-B2FD-7143ACC68BDB.shtml">The rest of the story</a>
<!--and the Cajuns went on to hit seven of their next eight shots from the floor. Boyd had 10 of those points in a period of less than four minutes including back-to-back three-pointers, and Johnson's three-point play at the 5:01 mark gave the hosts a 35-25 lead.
The lead was at 48-36 at intermission, and the Cajuns were content to run their motion offense and get the ball low to Cameron in the second half. The Australian newcomer had 15 of his 21 points in the second half while also finishing with a game-high 11 rebounds.
"Coach told us to stop rushing our shots," said Cameron. "We were trying to get an extra pass in the second half, and we were getting more open shots because we were taking it inside first and outside second."
Boyd had 16 of his 24 points and Johnson 15 of his 22 in the first half, helping the Cajuns shoot 50 percent from the field. That threesome combined to hit 25 of 38 from the floor.
"That's not bad," said Johnson, who shot over 63 percent in the squad's two exhibition games. "We were playing a lot of guys, testing chemistry, seeing who can play."
The Wonderboys got back within 10 points early in the second half, but the Cajuns responded with eight straight points and then had the better of a five-minute race-horse shootout that built as much as a 20-point edge with 8:02 left.
"We caused them to turn it over some in the second half," said Boyd. "Our defense was a little better. Now we need to work on our rebounding."
Despite Cameron's boards, UL Lafayette held only a 35-34 rebound advantage over the smaller Tech squad. The Cajuns also had only 14 assists on its 34 field goals, an area that Evans said needs to improve before next Saturday's opener at 12th-ranked Mississippi State.
"I don't worry about how many 20-point scorers we have," he said. "I'm more concerned with assists and defense. We didn't get the numbers we need to get. I thought we stepped forward defensively, but we have to get a lot better because Mississippi State is one of the top teams in the country."
LAGNIAPPE: Backup guard Antoine Landry, who had an ankle injury in the first half of Wednesday's 111-86 win over Slovakia, was on crutches Saturday. His return status is still unknown ... Boyd averaged 27.5 points and Johnson 26.0 in the two exhibition wins, and the Cajuns hit better from three-point range (.500) than overall shooting (.497) in the two games.
-->
Cajun hoops squad travels to meet MSU Bulldogs
<blockquote><p align=justify>Advertisers-Dan McDonald
STARKVILLE, Miss. - The task would be a tall one under any circumstances for Louisiana's basketball squad.
The Ragin' Cajuns open their 2002-03 season tonight at 6 p.m. against 12th-ranked Mississippi State in MSU's Humphrey Coliseum, starting a string of three straight road games to tip off the campaign.
As if that wasn't enough of a challenge, the Cajuns will be without four key cogs when they meet the defending SEC Tournament champion Bulldogs.
Three players - sophomore center and returning All-Sun Belt Conference pick Michael Southall, junior guard and part-time starter Laurie Bridges and highly-regarded incoming sophomore forward Cedric Williams - are still academically ineligible and will remain so at least until the end of the fall semester.
Senior guard Robert Jupiter became the fourth absentee Thursday when he was arrested on charges stemming from an off-campus incident.
It could make for a long evening as the Cajuns open up efforts to improve on last year's 20-11 record and trip to the NIT Tournament.
"I've really been looking forward to this game," said head coach Jessie Evans, who opens his sixth season as Cajun mentor. "It means the start of a new season. Unfortunately, it will be on the road against excellent competition, but we'll have an opportunity to see exactly where we are."
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/86A9788F-B16F-4A67-89F5-B492567F46DF.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
Mississippi State is coming off a 27-8 season, one in which the Bulldogs were ranked as high as 17th nationally and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Three starters and eight lettermen are back from that unit.
However, the 'Dogs have an MIA of their own, with second-team All-American center Mario Austin also sidelined with eligibility questions. The NCAA is investigating the initial eligibility of the 6-foot-9 junior dating back to his freshman year, and it is unknown when or if Austin will be cleared to play.
"We're preparing like he's going to play," said Evans, who voted MSU ninth on his ballot for USA Today's poll. "But even if he doesn't, they're still a very talented team."
Senior point guard Derrick Zimmerman, a native of Monroe, averaged 9.2 points and 6.0 assists last year for the Bulldogs and leads a returnee class that also includes backcourt mate Timmy Bowers (10.6).
The Cajun lineup will likely include senior swingman Anthony Johnson (14.9, 7.0) and junior guard Brad Boyd (7.4) as the top scorers, along with fellow returnees Kenneth Lawrence (4.6) and Immanuel Washington (2.0). Australian 6-foot-11 newcomer Chris Cameron had 21 points and 11 rebounds in the Cajuns' 95-74 exhibition win over Arkansas Tech.
-->
DOCRAGCAJ accounting of the MSU game
<blockquote><p align=justify>"Folks,
Tonight's win was a great moment in history for a great program. Those kids went out there and simple played their hearts out. Both sides for that matter. But, the Cajuns showed a level of maturity that I have not seen in a while. The upper classmen showed alot of leadership out there. Brad was on fire. Bunny showed alot of patience and team ball. Jessie coached one helluva of game. We looked like a top program. The MSU folks were floored by the poise and skill exhibited by all players for UL. This team did not fall apart when Washington went down. Nor when KJ went down. Without two of all top players at all. When MSU went up by five late in the game, I remember wondering how the team would rally. And rally they did. The best team clearly won here in Starkville. A team where the team ball was played and true grit was used to knock off a very tough No. 12 team. Stopped by to see Jay after the game and he as excited as my brother and I. Three happy Cajun fans among a large corwd of admiring MSU fans who poured plenty of gracious admiration toward our Cajuns. Just a great win for a great team. This season appears to be one that will be very special for us. Spring is gonna be fun!!!! "
<center><p><a href="http://forums.delphiforums.com/RaginCajuns/messages?msg=8472.1">The rest of the story on Delphi</a><!--
AAAEEEEEE!!!!
Way to geaux boys and coaches!!! -->
Back to business for UL hoop squad
<blockquote><p align=justify>Advertisers-Dan McDonald
LAFAYETTE - The celebration of a big season-opening upset has come to a conclusion for UL's basketball squad.
The excitement over the 79-76 road win at Mississippi State will linger for a while, but the Ragin' Cajuns got down to the business of preparing for another road challenge at Monday's practice.
The Cajuns pulled off their first win over a ranked team in over 10 seasons Saturday in shocking the Bulldogs, who dropped to 23rd in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today polls this week. MSU had been ranked 12th in last week's AP poll.
"I still think they're one of the top 10 teams in the country," said UL Lafayette head coach Jessie Evans, one of the voters on the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll. "With Mario (Austin) in there, I had them seventh or eighth. That's how much respect I have for State and their basketball program."
The Bulldogs were playing without All-Southeastern Conference returnee center Austin, who is sidelined pending eligibility investigations dating back to his freshman season. Several national accounts of Saturday's opener belabored the point that Austin didn't see the court.
Those same accounts didn't mention that the Cajuns were playing without five players who would normally see extensive action, including All-Sun Belt Conference returnee and last year's Freshman of the Year Michael Southall at center and returning starter Laurie Bridges at guard.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/C598A70D-4139-4FCD-81F2-B8C9ACC80EFC.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
"I thought them not having Mario would have more of an affect on them than the players we didn't have because they were anticipating having him," Evans said. "I thought they'd be a little down with their first real action.
"But by the same token, I think we're pretty good, too."
The Cajuns picked up three votes in the AP writer's poll and two in the ESPN/USA Today poll, both released Monday, and will take that increased interest into Wednesday's battle against long-time rival McNeese State at Burton Coliseum.
"The mark of a good team is the improvement you make from game one to game two," Evans said. "We have to make sure not to allow the same mistakes we made against Mississippi State to carry over to Wednesday."
BOYD HONOR: Junior guard Brad Boyd, who had a career-high 33 points in the win over Mississippi State, was selected as one of two national winners of CollegeInsider.com's Star of the Week honor. Boyd hit 9-of-18 three-point baskets, both Humphrey Coliseum records, and connected on 12-of-24 shots overall including a three-pointer with 1:12 left that put the Cajuns in front for good.
Boyd shared the first weekly honor with St. Joseph's Jameer Nelson, who had 22 points and eight assists in his club's 85-58 upset win at Boston College.
LAGNIAPPE: The last time UL Lafayette opened a season with a road win was Nov. 24, 1989, when the Cajuns downed Mississippi 94-83 in Jackson, a Friday night game prior to Mississippi and Mississippi State playing their football season-ending Egg Bowl game. Sydney Grider gunned in 41 points for the Cajuns in that win. No UL Lafayette player has scored that many since then ...
The Cajuns' last win over a ranked team was an 87-83 win over Oklahoma on March 20, 1992, in the opening round of the NCAA West Regional in Tempe, Ariz. ...
Boyd's nine three-pointers was one short of the school record of 10 set by Earl Watkins against Houston on Jan. 13, 1988, in the Cajundome ...
Maybe the opening-night performance of Boyd and Anthony Johnson should have been expected. Boyd averaged 27.5 points and Johnson 26.0 in the Cajuns' two exhibition wins, with Boyd hitting 14 three-pointers in 25 attempts and Johnson making 19-of-30 field goals in those two games. The two teamed for 59 points on Saturday.
-->
Seeking an encore. Ragin'' Cajuns strive for 2-0 start of McNeese State
<blockquote><p align=justify>ADVERTISERS-Dan McDonald
LAFAYETTE - It apparently didn't take long for Louisiana head basketball coach Jessie Evans to get his squad back down out of the clouds after Saturday's opening win over nationally-ranked Mississippi State.
"All we had to do was show the tape on the bus ride back," Evans said, "and let them see how many times Mississippi State got to the basket and how many offensive rebounds they got. They were playing volleyball with us sometimes."
Evans is hoping his team improves in some areas when the Cajuns (1-0) play their second straight road contest tonight, and a long-time rival will be waiting for their arrival when McNeese State (1-1) hosts the Cajun squad at 7 p.m. in Burton Coliseum.
McNeese fell at Mississippi State 81-65 on Monday, two nights after UL Lafayette pulled off the 79-76 shocker in Starkville, but Evans said that comparitive scores don't mean a lot.
"McNeese outrebounded them (Mississippi State) for most of the game," he said, "and we didn't do a good job at all in keeping them off the boards. And they've got three guards that are all excellent perimeter shooters."
<center><p><a href="http://www.acadiananow.com/html/6E28A984-0985-4B20-94D8-D46777257A56.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
It was perimeter shooting that provided the Cajuns with the opening win. UL Lafayette was 14-of-32 from three-point range against the Bulldogs, and junior guard Brad Boyd provided much of that with a 9-of-18 performance outside the arc. He had 33 points and senior swingman Anthony Johnson added 26.
McNeese's top scorer in Monday's loss was junior college point guard Greg Tucker with 17 points, and the Cowboys' guards and wing men all hit in double figures in MSU's opening 85-54 win over Texas Wesleyan.
But Evans guarded against saying that tonight's battle would be won or lost on the perimeter.
"This one's going to be all about who defends, who takes care of the basketball," he said. "We like to think we can play inside out, and our game really revolves around starting with inside play and kicking it back out."
That's a tougher task considering that sophomore center, All-Sun Belt Conference returnee and last year's league Freshman of the Year Michael Southall is sidelined along with two other likely regular performers with academic ineligibility. Tonight's game would be their last one to miss if the threesome fulfills academic requirements, but that's no consolation tonight.
"It's a normal inclination, but we don't concern ourselves with who's not there," Evans said. "The guys on the floor have earned the opportunity to play, and they've done a good job. They're a very special group."
The group is better with the emergence of 6-foot-11 freshman Chris Cameron, who had 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds in his collegiate debut.
The Cowboys were hanging with Mississippi State until head coach Tic Price was ejected in the first half after two quick technical fouls. Still, it was a single-digit game at the mid-point of the second half.
"I'm more disappointed in myself than anything else," said Price, who served three years as head coach at New Orleans and two at Memphis before taking over the Cowboy program last season. "As a leader, I have to maintain my poise, and I got caught up in the moment."
Price's Cowboys had lots of moments last year, putting together a 21-9 record and winning the Southland Conference title and accompanying NCAA Tournament berth. McNeese is currently on a school-record 24-game home winning streak.
"That catches your eye pretty good," said Evans, whose team rallied from a halftime deficit to take a 76-69 win over the Cowboys in the Cajundome last season. "We're opening up with two NCAA teams, and what McNeese has accomplished at home says something about them. With all of that, I think we're the underdog team again."
-->
Cowboys defeat Cajuns in thriller
<blockquote><p align=justify>Advertisers-Brady Aymond
LAKE CHARLES -- Louisiana's basketball squad found out last Saturday what can happen when the shots go in.
Here Monday night, the Ragin' Cajuns found out what happens when they don't.
The Cajuns struggled from the field most of the evening, and McNeese State's Cowboys took advantage in taking a 76-74 win in the teams' annual rivalry game.
Jerrick Oliver's follow-up with 3.4 seconds left provided the eventual winning margin after the teams swapped the lead three times in the final minute.
The Cajun squad had used long-range marksmanship to take the upset 79-76 win over then-12th ranked Mississippi State on Saturday including 14 three-point baskets.
Against the Cowboys, UL Lafayete hit only 35.9 percent from the field.
Even with the cold shooting, the Cajuns cut into a double-figure deficit in the final three minutes. Three free throws and a three-pointer by Brad Boyd at the 2:54 mark ended an 8-0 run and put UL within 70-67, and a Kenneth Lawrence follow 50 seconds later made it 71-69.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/91B465C4-C29B-47D5-9593-498832A3ABD1.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
A Cowboys miss and a Robert Jupiter free throw made it a one-point game, and Anthony Johnson's two free throws gave UL Lafayette a 72-71 lead with 48 ticks left.
Adrian Johnson's driving basket gave the Cowboys the lead again, but Boyd hit a jumper with 22 seconds left to give UL Lafayette the advantage before Oliver's game-winner.
The loss snapped a nine-game Cajun winning streak in the series, including three straight wins in Burton Coliseum. Prior to Wednesday night, UL Lafayette had won 19 of the previous 22 battles.
Oliver had 18 points and Damond Williams had 12 to lead the Cowboys. Boyd had 24 points and Anthony Johnson had 21 to lead UL Lafayette.
The Cajuns looked like their minds were still in Starkville early, as the Cowboys burst out to a 9-0 lead on Williams' fast-break layup off a steal three minutes into the game.
UL Lafayette didn't crack the shutout until the 16:39 mark when Johnson scored on a lob dunk, but that got Johnson started on a string of seven straight points by himself. Boyd then banked in a three-pointer to pull the visitors within 11-10.
McNeese, though, responded with an eight-point run of its own, with reserve Oliver doing most of that damage.
-->
Louisiana sets home winning streak mark
If I heard right Birds Eye View correctly, it was reported that 12 straight wins at home is a new Ragin' Cajun record.
Hows that for "Stumping" the competition?
Advertiser (Headline) Cajuns favored over Bethune-Cookman
<blockquote><p align=justify>Advertisers-Dan McDonald
LAFAYETTE - Louisiana's men's basketball squad plays its third straight home game tonight, and don't expect things to be much different from the last two.
The Ragin' Cajuns (3-2) have outscored their last two foes by a combined 93 points and Bethune-Cookman figures to be the next victim at 7:05 p.m. in the Cajundome.
The Cajuns humbled Louisiana College 117-57 one week ago and are coming off a 99-66 crunching of Alcorn State on Monday, and probably won't get much more of a challenge from the 1-3 Wildcats. Bethune-Cookman dropped a 79-52 decision at 20th-ranked Minnesota Friday despite the unbeaten Golden Gophers playing without their leading scorer.
"They're very similar to Alcorn in that they have some excellent athletes,' said Cajun head coach Jessie Evans. "They've played a lot of games on the road, but we won't be looking past them after last year.'
The teams played in Daytona Beach, Fla., last season, and Bethune-Cookman led most of the first half and was still tied with the Cajuns after halftime before UL Lafayette stretched a late margin to an 83-73 win. The Cajuns had to shoot 55 percent to take that win.
B-CC's Richard Toussaint had 29 points in last year's game, and the 6-foot-3 guard has been the Wildcats' leading scorer in all four games this year on the way to a 20.0 average.
"We couldn't contain him (Toussaint) last year,' Evans said. "He and the other guard they had last year had 48 between them, so we know what they're capable of.'
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/html/01BB1BD0-9DD7-4B0F-A2F1-11224A4EBA53.shtml">The rest of the story</a><!--
Bethune-Cookman lost to Canisius (77-64) and Elon (98-79) and beat Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference rival Florida A&M (71-69) prior to Friday's Minnesota loss. The Wildcats will play their fifth straight road game tonight, in a string that will eventually include eight away games to start the season. B-CC doesn't play a home game until Jan. 11.
Meanwhile, the Cajuns wrap up their only homestand of the non-conference season tonight, and will make a major step up in competition level in an upcoming five-game road stretch.
UL Lafayette opens the Golden Bear Classic in Berkeley, Calif., Friday against Detroit, and will face the California-Grambling winner on Saturday.
After Christmas, the Cajuns play three games in the Pepsi Holiday Classic in Charlotte, N.C., against Colorado, Loyola-Chicago and host Charlotte.
UL Lafayette opened its season with three straight road games, surprising nationally-ranked Mississippi State in the opener before falling at both McNeese State and Birmingham Southern.
"Those were a wake-up call for us,' said senior swingman Anthony Johnson. "That woke us up and let us know that we can't take anybody for granted.'
Johnson turned Monday's game into a dunking highlight reel on the way to 24 points, and also had four assists and six steals to go with 11-of-15 shooting. He led five players in double figures.
"I was more impressed with the assists and steals that we got,' said Evans, whose team forced 31 turnovers from the Braves and converted a bushel of those into easy baskets.
Evans also was happy with the play of sophomore center Michael Southall, who was playing his second game after missing the opening three with academic ineligibility. Southall had 20 points and six boards to go with four blocks, and Alcorn had little answer for his low-post game.
His 25 minutes was double the amount he played against La. College in his debut.
"That's what we wanted,' Evans said. "He's gotta get himself in better condition. A couple of times I thought he could have picked up some of their guys and put them in the basket with the ball.
"Last year he would have gone up stronger a couple of times, but that will come. We asked the guys in the locker room last night what improvements we have to make, and Mike rattled off five or six things that he needs to improve on.'
-->
