Louisiana returns to Earl K. Long Gym and opens up conference play against Middle Tennessee on Saturday, Nov. 24 beginning at 12:00 p.m.

The Ragin' Cajuns are looking to rebound after suffering two road game defeats against Omaha (79-67) and Nicholls State (71-62). Under the direction of first-year head coach Garry Brodhead, the Cajuns are coming off a hard fought loss in Thibodeaux against a tough Nicholls State team. Freshman Keke Veal led the Cajuns with 19 points as three others turned in double digit efforts: Ashley Benjamin (14 points, 5 rebounds), Kia Wilridge (12 points, 3 steals), and Byronesha Santiago (10 points, 11 rebounds). UL returns just four players from a year ago, opening the season with seven newcomers (five freshmen and two junior college transfers). Four Cajuns average double digits in scoring and leading the way is freshman guard Sylvana Okde’s 14.3 points per game. Ashley Benjamin is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.0 points and 5.5 rebounds. Keke Veal and Kia Wilridge contribute 12.8 and 11.0 points per game, respectively. Byronesha Santiago leads the team in rebounding, posting a 7.3 average to go along with 9.5 points. Last season, Middle Tennessee played in its 15th NCAA Tournament and third as an at-large bid from the Sun Belt Conference. The Blue Raiders won the league’s regular-season title with a perfect 16-0 mark, becoming just the seventh unbeaten team by any program in the last twenty years in the conference and was just one of eight schools to accomplish the feat nationally. The team ended the season with an overall record of 26-7. This will be the 17th overall meeting between Louisiana and Middle Tennessee, the Blue Raiders own a 16-0 record.