The Book: 2007-08 Ragin' Cajuns Basketball

[geo_cajun]

Jay is very good about being objective, and hearing him talk about the officiating makes me think it was not great. But hey, you gotta make your FT. Great effort by the cajuns.

[geo_cajun]

nice defense game, but we need to improve our shooting %, 20-57 FG and 6-20 3pt. We will do better. As these guys get more experience and chemistry together we will be fun to watch!

[rbilleaud]

I know everybody is saying the same thing, but it needs to be said again. We need to clean house. Lee and Bustle are not the answers to our problems. Will it be painful if we ditch both our football and basketball coach in less than 1 year's time? Yes, but it's either start rebuilding now or suffer through another disasterous season. Now is the time to start looking for another football coach. Let Lee finish out the season, then fire him. I know that we will never be another LSU, but I'd settle for a return to Nelson Stokley in the Brian Mitchell era, oh, and how I yearn for the days of Bobby Paschal. Let's not forget that UL basketball was once a prestigious program - kids wanted to play basketball here and we had a fair shot at in-state recruits. I gave Lee a pass last year because of the injuries, but it's time to cut our losses here. Thanks for letting me rant.

[ShowDog]

_ I know everybody is saying the same thing, but it needs to be said again. We need to clean house. Lee and Bustle are not the answers to our problems. Will it be painful if we ditch both our football and basketball coach in less than 1 year's time? Yes, but it's either start rebuilding now or suffer through another disasterous season. Now is the time to start looking for another football coach. Let Lee finish out the season, then fire him. I know that we will never be another LSU, but I'd settle for a return to Nelson Stokley in the Brian Mitchell era, oh, and how I yearn for the days of Bobby Paschal. Let's not forget that UL basketball was once a prestigious program - kids wanted to play basketball here and we had a fair shot at in-state recruits. I gave Lee a pass last year because of the injuries, but it's time to cut our losses here. Thanks for letting me rant. _

I agree wholeheartedly. This athletic program is in shambles except for baseball and softball. I'm sure softball will pay the way for the other sports.

[CajunCanaille]

_ I know everybody is saying the same thing, but it needs to be said again. We need to clean house. Lee and Bustle are not the answers to our problems. Will it be painful if we ditch both our football and basketball coach in less than 1 year's time? Yes, but it's either start rebuilding now or suffer through another disasterous season. Now is the time to start looking for another football coach. Let Lee finish out the season, then fire him. I know that we will never be another LSU, but I'd settle for a return to Nelson Stokley in the Brian Mitchell era, oh, and how I yearn for the days of Bobby Paschal. Let's not forget that UL basketball was once a prestigious program - kids wanted to play basketball here and we had a fair shot at in-state recruits. I gave Lee a pass last year because of the injuries, but it's time to cut our losses here. Thanks for letting me rant. _

ARE YOU KIDDING?? Have you been to a basketball game yet? This team is going to be damn good. We have a lot of talent on this team. Coach Lee said that he was going to basically start all over b/c Evans pretty much recruited a team full of JuCo felons and failures. I would have to say that Lee, if he does not win, will be on his way out with Elijah Milsap. But if he wins, and I expect he will, he will be here for a while. We almost beat UAB the other night. I don't know if you follow NCAA basketball to good, but UAB is predicted to be pretty damn good. Second in their conference behind Memphis, who has been talked about as a possible number one sometime this season. You have a damn good argument with Bustle but not Lee. Not yet anyway. He has taken this team from academically bad, playing mediocre basketball, to an above average academic team, who is building something exciting. If you haven't been yet then go check out a game. This team is fun right now and I would expect them to be exciting next year. I think the addition of Barr will complete this young and upcoming team.

[CAJUNryan4]

_ I know everybody is saying the same thing, but it needs to be said again. We need to clean house. Lee and Bustle are not the answers to our problems. Will it be painful if we ditch both our football and basketball coach in less than 1 year's time? Yes, but it's either start rebuilding now or suffer through another disasterous season. Now is the time to start looking for another football coach. Let Lee finish out the season, then fire him. I know that we will never be another LSU, but I'd settle for a return to Nelson Stokley in the Brian Mitchell era, oh, and how I yearn for the days of Bobby Paschal. Let's not forget that UL basketball was once a prestigious program - kids wanted to play basketball here and we had a fair shot at in-state recruits. I gave Lee a pass last year because of the injuries, but it's time to cut our losses here. Thanks for letting me rant. _

Have you seen the places our players are from? Almost all are from LA

[Cajunsmike]

Have you seen the places our players are from? Almost all are from LA

If Coach Lee leaves then many of the very young guys starting to mature may leave with him and our post signees may not show up. I understand people are just looking at the record and we are all growing impatient. However, I think this is a moot point as one of the reasons we did not change football coaches was a new incoming president. Same situation applies in basketball. One year from now, the only thing Coach Lee will be judged on is wins and losses.

[rbilleaud]

_ ARE YOU KIDDING?? Have you been to a basketball game yet? This team is going to be damn good. We have a lot of talent on this team. Coach Lee said that he was going to basically start all over b/c Evans pretty much recruited a team full of JuCo felons and failures. I would have to say that Lee, if he does not win, will be on his way out with Elijah Milsap. But if he wins, and I expect he will, he will be here for a while. We almost beat UAB the other night. I don't know if you follow NCAA basketball to good, but UAB is predicted to be pretty damn good. Second in their conference behind Memphis, who has been talked about as a possible number one sometime this season. You have a damn good argument with Bustle but not Lee. Not yet anyway. He has taken this team from academically bad, playing mediocre basketball, to an above average academic team, who is building something exciting. If you haven't been yet then go check out a game. This team is fun right now and I would expect them to be exciting next year. I think the addition of Barr will complete this young and upcoming team. _

Damn good??!! What planet are you living on?? 1-4 with a 9 point loss to Oral Roberts and a blowout to Tennessee? UAB is 7-3, but they haven't really beaten anyone, and besides close doesn't count. I think it's great that the team is doing well academically, I wasn't a fan of Evans either, but I want them to be good on the field as well. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but the Cajuns have been in my heart and soul for close to 40 years (class of '89) and it kills me to see what was once a good team having fallen this far. We used to ROCK Blackham Coleseum back in the day. It wasn't much of a facility, but when teams came there, we would put a scare into them no matter how high and mighty they were. Bo Lamar, Andrew Toney, those guys could shoot the lights out. We haven't had a player like that since the Cajun Dome opened. I even remember back to the old McNaspy Stadium and we had some good football teams along the way as well - not world beaters- but at least we could beat McNeese pretty regularly (unlike this year). I've seen USL grow into a fantastic academic institution known as UL and I'd just like to see the athletics programs rise to the same level.

[Cajunsmike]

Damn good??!! What planet are you living on?? 1-4 with a 9 point loss to Oral Roberts and a blowout to Tennessee? UAB is 7-3, but they haven't really beaten anyone, and besides close doesn't count. I think it's great that the team is doing well academically, I wasn't a fan of Evans either, but I want them to be good on the field as well. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but the Cajuns have been in my heart and soul for close to 40 years (class of '89) and it kills me to see what was once a good team having fallen this far. We used to ROCK Blackham Coleseum back in the day. It wasn't much of a facility, but when teams came there, we would put a scare into them no matter how high and mighty they were. Bo Lamar, Andrew Toney, those guys could shoot the lights out. We haven't had a player like that since the Cajun Dome opened. I even remember back to the old McNaspy Stadium and we had some good football teams along the way as well - not world beaters- but at least we could beat McNeese pretty regularly (unlike this year). I've seen USL grow into a fantastic academic institution known as UL and I'd just like to see the athletics programs rise to the same level.

We all want what you want regarding athletics. It is just that some of us believe changing basketball coaches right now won't result in that success. If things are still the same a year from now, I suspect most will agree with you.

[NewsCopy]

Louisiana will become just the fifth team in the regular season - and first Sun Belt Conference school - to play at the New UCF Arena...Tuesday marks the first meeting between the schools in 17 seasons when they were both members of the Sun Belt Conference. Louisiana won that game 77-72 at the CAJUNDOME (Feb. 6, 1992)...Since its season-opening win against North Alabama, UL has dropped four straight games and has now been on the losing end in six straight road games. Louisiana has lost 12 straight non-conference road contests since trumping the UTEP Miners 65-59 in overtime on Dec. 11, 2005...Since shooting 51.2 percent in a 76-68 season-opening victory over Ouachita Baptist in 2006-07 at the CAJUNDOME, Louisiana has shot less than 50 percent from the floor in 32 of its last 34 games...Since the 2004-05 season, Louisiana is 7-15 in the month of December under head coach Robert Lee. The Ragin’ Cajuns have lost their last seven games in the 12th month since defeating Louisiana Tech 65-60 at the CAJUNDOME on Dec. 2, 2006...Louisiana’s success rate against Conference USA schools has fallen in recent seasons as the Ragin’ Cajuns are just 70-100 (.412) against the league. UCF will be the second of two Conference USA schools that UL will play this season. Earlier this season, UAB edged Louisiana 78-72 in overtime at the CAJUNDOME. The Cajuns could have a chance to play a third - Tulane - at the Rainbow Classic in December. UCF Preview. UCF has lost four of its last six games, including two at the Old Spice Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla....However, the Knights are 3-1 in their new home facility, the New UCF Arena...In their last outing, only seven UCF players saw action as the Knights lost their first game at their new facility, falling 76-67 to Ole Miss Saturday...Tony Davis established a school record with eight blocks in a 75-67 loss to the USF Bulls in Tampa...He became the first UCF player to post at least six blocks in a game since 2005 (Anthony Williams vs. South Dakota State)...Prior to its road loss at USF, UCF breezed past Presbyterian 80-53 behind Jermaine Taylor’s 22 points, while the Knights shot 60 percent as a team...The Knights limited the Blue Hose to just 16 points on 5-of-28 shooting (17.9 percent) from the floor in the second half...Mike O’Donnell currently ranks eighth in school history with 140 career three-point baskets...He trails Gary Johnson by two triples for seventh on the school’s list. Since the 2002-03 season, UCF ranks second in the state of Florida with 111 victories, posting four 20-win seasons - the second-most in the state behind Florida...Three of UCF’s first six opponents of the 2007-08 season participated in the postseason a year ago...The Knights have already faced NCAA Tournament participants Nevada and Villanova, while also facing NIT participant Kansas State...Villanova and K-State were both ranked in the Top 25 when they faced the Knights. Fab Freshman Shows Off at Tennessee. Freshman forward Chris Gradnigo stepped up his game against No. 11 Tennessee last Friday...The rookie scored a career-high-tying 15 points, draining a career-best three triples, before fouling out mid-way through the second half...Gradnigo held Tennessee All-American guard Chris Lofton to seven points - his second-lowest point total of the season...Gradnigo scored 13 points in the first half against the Volunteers - the second-most by a Cajun this season behind Elijah Millsap’s 17 points vs. UAB...The LaGrange High product is one of three Cajuns this season averaging double figures and is averaging 14.5 points in his last two games. The Iron is Unkind. Since shooting 51.2 percent in a 76-68 season-opening victory over Ouachita Baptist in 2006-07 at the CAJUNDOME, Louisiana has shot less than 50 percent from the floor in 32 of its last 34 games...UL shot 50 percent or better seven times during the 2005-06 campaign, going 5-2 in those contests. Last season, Louisiana went 1-2 when shooting at least 50 percent from the floor. Louisiana-Florida Series. Louisiana is 55-23 all-time versus schools from the Sunshine State. The Ragin’ Cajuns are 48-22 vs. NCAA Division I competition from Florida...UCF is the first of three Florida opponents for Louisiana this season. Louisiana will face Florida Atlantic and FIU. RaginCajuns.com

[NewsCopy]

ORLANDO, Fla. - The road frustrations for the UL men's basketball team continued Tuesday night. The Ragin' Cajuns dropped their fifth straight game after shooting a season-low 23.2 percent from the floor against Central Florida in a 65-52 loss at the new UCF Arena. UL (1-5) has now lost 13 straight non-conference road games and fell to 11-40 on the road under fourth-year coach Robert Lee. The Cajuns are winless in their last eight games in the month of December dating back to last season after losing to UCF (5-4) for the first time in nine meetings. Senior David Dees and sophomore Elijah Millsap tied for the team lead with 13 points and eight rebounds apiece. The rest of the story

[NewsCopy]

LAKE CHARLES--McNeese State takes a two game winning streak into a Thursday night game with Louisiana-Lafayette which is on a five game losing streak. Tipoff will be 7 p.m. at the Cajumdome. The Cowboys, now 4-3 on the season, have defeated Florida Atlantic and Dillard in their last two outings. ULL has dropped decisions to Louisiana Tech, Oral Roberts, UAB, Tennessee and Central Florida since opening the season with a victory over North Alabama. The meeting will be the 82nd in the series between the two schools. McNeese won last year's outing by a 68-63 score in Lake Charles as Jarvis Bradley scored 17 points and pulled 10 rebounds and John Ford flipped in 17 points. Prior to last season's victory, McNeese had dropped three in a row to the Cajuns. The Cowboys have not seen action since beating Dillard by an 87-53 score on Dec. 4. The Cajuns bowed to Central Florida 65-52 on Tuesday night. The rest of the story