The Book: 2007-08 Ragin' Cajuns Basketball

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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, FlaHowever, 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

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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

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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

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UL men have lost 13 straight outside SBC on road entering McNeese test The UL men's basketball team gets one last chance to snap its early season funk tonight against McNeese State before starting Sun Belt Conference play. On Tuesday, the Ragin' Cajuns lost their fifth straight game after shooting a season-low 23.2 percent from the floor in a 65-52 loss at Central Florida. UL (1-5) has now lost 13 consecutive non-conference road games and dropped eight straight in December dating back to last season. The Cajuns, winless against NCAA Division I opponents this season, look to end their slump at 7:05 tonight against McNeese (4-3) at the Cajundome. "McNeese State is a quality team," UL coach Robert Lee said. "They have everybody returning from last season. They have a senior-laden basketball team. Their point guard John Ford is an outstanding player." The rest of the story Joshua Parrott jparrott@theadvertiser.com

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David Dees and Randell Daigle provided some highlights for UL on Thursday night. Dees poured in a season-high 21 points. Daigle, a former Northside standout, added a career-high 11 points in his first start for the Ragin' Cajuns. But it wasn't enough to keep UL from dropping its sixth straight game. Shaking off a slow start, McNeese State held on down the stretch to beat the Cajuns for the second straight year, 67-61, in a foul-filled non-conference game before a crowd of 3,434 at the Cajundome. The Cajuns shot only 32.7 percent from the floor in their first loss to the Cowboys in nine games at the Cajundome. UL shot a season-low 23.2 percent in Tuesday's loss at Central Florida. "If you're not going to shoot the basketball well, you're not going to win," said UL coach Robert Lee, whose Cajuns (1-6) have lost nine straight in December dating back to last season. "So right now we're having a really tough time being able to score." The rest of the story Joshua Parrott jparrott@theadvertiser.com

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Can this team get another win this season? Everyone blasts me for speaking the truth about what I see. I spoke with a guy tonight that said there is no discipline at practice. Maybe this is why players don’t listen in the games. Six losses in a row. Is this still a rebuilding year. What are we rebuilding? This team should go and shoot balls for about 2 hours everyday. Work on making shots. Shooting this bad will get us nowhere. Man and another thing there is no other easy games on the schedule. We may be looking at the longest losing streak in school history. The team had got to get better, someone has to take the horse and carriage by the reins. But who, the coach, a player, an assistant coach, who will step up and do this. I wish I was still there, so I could get in some of those guys asses for playing this bad. This is just bad basketball. We need a change. We need better for the program. Someone in that program has got to take the bull by the horns and address these issues. Every time I listen to the radio and here people talk about this year, it’s always excuse after excuse, all I am saying is keep it real. And the real issues are not getting brought up. Let’s address the real problems and go from there. This can’t get any worse, no more excuses just play and get a win. If the program cannot do this what do we do. Some people already screaming baseball. That aint cool. All of our sports have to flourish. I don’t see this at all this year in bball. Man 6 losses in a row, I am so ____ed about this year. Yea, now some of y'all may be coming closer and closer to agreeing with some one who keeps it real all the time. 1 and 6. Where are we heading? The source of the story

[CajunRed]

They are NOT as athletic as many said they would be. and they SURELY are not "fun to watch". OR AT LEAST LAST NIGHT WASN'T!!

[JamesTheJeweler]

is there another beryl shipley out there?

[JamesTheJeweler]

this is FREEKIN EMBARRASSING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! twice in a row in basketball and beat like a drum in football to mcneese? will things ever get better? is there some hope in new president? thank goodness for coach robe and baseball!!!!!!!!!!!!! changes MUST be made! NO MORE DAMN EXCUSES!!!

[JamesTheJeweler]

Ok, So Who's The 'former Player' Of Which You Speak?

[CajunProud]

I got my first look at this years team last night. I have listened to the other games on the radio. I'll admit, I don't know that much about basketball, but I was hoping to see some of what has been reported on this board. I have to tell you, this team is horrible. Poor shooting asside, they don't move to the ball to help out teammates, they don't crash the boards. It really looks as though they run no offense at all. Very disheartening. I found myself looking up at the rafters and longing for the "good old days" and contemplating how this once very good and proud basketball program had fallen so far.

It's funny though, I am really not angry, just very sad

[cajunfan96]

_ _

This is un freaking real! Something must be done to save basketball!

[Turbine]

_ Ok, So Who's The 'former Player' Of Which You Speak? _

B.B.

[AstroCajun]

this is FREEKIN EMBARRASSING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! twice in a row in basketball and beat like a drum in football to mcneese? will things ever get better? is there some hope in new president? thank goodness for coach robe and baseball!!!!!!!!!!!!! changes MUST be made! NO MORE DAMN EXCUSES!!!

Yeah, I've just about run out of patience. We can't keep being continually young in football and basketball.

What makes this worse is that our step backwards comes at a time when nearly everyone else in the conference is taking a step forward.

At 1-3 I was unwilling to push the panic button, but 1-6 and a loss to McNeese AT HOME, is unacceptable.

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Game Night Story Lines: After a difficult six-point defeat to former conference rival McNeese State at the CAJUNDOME Thursday night, Louisiana opens Sun Belt Conference play Sunday when it travels to Monroe to take on the ULM Warhawks. Louisiana will embark on 9,204-mile round-trip excursion in eight days, beginning Sunday when the Cajuns head north to face ULM. In their previous four road trips this season, Louisiana has travelled 4,425 miles round-trip. Alone, Louisiana’s flight to Honolulu on Monday will take 4,417 miles. Last season, Louisiana and ULM faced each other twice during SBC play. It marked the first time the schools had met on the hardwood in 16 seasons. The Cajuns made their first appearance in Monroe last season since 1987. Louisiana hasn’t had much success in Monroe as the Cajuns have lost their last three visits and haven’t won on ULM’s home court since Jan. 18, 1984. Since Louisiana’s first year of NCAA competition in 1970-71, the Cajuns are 15-4 against the Warhawks, including a 5-4 mark in Monroe in that time. Historically, Louisiana has been successful when opening its Sun Belt slate on the road. Since joining the league in 1991-92, the Cajuns are 7-2 when opening league play on the road, while posting a 4-3 mark at home. Louisiana has lost its last three SBC openers. Prior to that streak, the Cajuns had won nine straight, including seven-in-a-row on the road. Louisiana is 11-40 on the road under fourth-year head coach Robert Lee and have lost five of the last six road contests. UL finished 1-10 on the road during the month of November under Lee. Louisiana is 7-16 on the road in December under Lee. ULM Preview. ULM saw its three-game winning streak come to an end Tueday night when the Warhawks fell 78-65 at Nicholls State. Jordan Payne led the way for the Warhawks with 17 points, while Lance Brasher added 13. Sunday’s Sun Belt Conference opener will mark just ULM’s second home game at Fant-Ewing Coliseum this season.Prior to the setback at Nicholls, ULM capped a historic weekend with an 80-67 victory over Rice in the championship game of the 26th Annual Hawkeye Challenge in Iowa City, Iowa, becoming just the third program to take the title. ULM, which finished tied for first place last season in the SBC West Division, was projected to finish first in the seven-team division in the preseason coaches poll. Louisiana in SBC Openers. Louisiana is 11-5 all-time in Sun Belt Conference openers and has lost its three four. Prior to the current streak, the Cajuns had won nine straight SBC openers, including seven straight on the road. The Cajuns have had better success in league openers on the road. Since joining the Sun Belt for the 1991-92 season, Louisiana is 7-2 on the road, but has lost its last two.Sunday marks the third straight season that the Cajuns will open conference play on the road. Where's Millsap? Since scoring a career-high 26 points vs. UAB on Nov. 27, sophomore Elijah Millsap has been contained by the opposition, going just 5-of-19 (.263) from the field in the last three games. He has missed his last 10 shots, dating back to the Tennessee game. However, Millsap has made 14 of his last 15 free throws, including a 13-of-14 performance at UCF Tuesday night. Downtown Daigle. Sophomore point guard Randell Daigle has made at least one three-pointer in each of the last five games, including seven in the last three contests. Thursday night, Daigle went 3-for-5 from deep, scoring a career-high 11 points. In those last three games, Daigle is shooting 43.8 percent (7-of-16) from three-point land. RaginCajuns.com