Louisiana opens Sun Belt Conference Tournament play at the CAJUNDOME on Wednesday, March 4, hosting FIU in a first round game. Tipoff is set for 7:35 p.m.
● For the second straight season, UL is hosting a first round game. Last season, Troy upset No. 5 seed Louisiana 70-60 on March 5, 2008 in the CAJUNDOME.
● This is the third season the Sun Belt uses campus sites for first round games in its postseason event. The Ragin’ Cajuns are searching for their first win in the new format.
● UL downed FIU 90-73 in the only meeting this season held on Feb. 5 at the CAJUNDOME. Chris Gradnigo scored a career-high 31 points and Louisiana made 14 triples to outscore FIU 42-12 from three-point range.
● UL went 9-6 at home this season. FIU was 2-12 on the road.
● The winner of this game will travel to Hot Springs, Ark., to meet WKU on Sunday, March 8 in the SBC Tournament quarterfinals. Game time will be 12:30 p.m.
● Saturday’s loss to UALR was the Cajuns’ eighth straight road defeat. UL ended the season 1-13 on the road – first time since 1994-95 a UL team had only one road win.
● The next three-point field goal make will be UL’s 200th this season. It would mark back-to-back seasons with 200-plus three-point field goals made.
● UL has trailed at halftime in each of its last three home games.
● Travis Bureau sits only nine points away from his 500th career point.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
● The Cajuns are seeded No. 8 in the Sun Belt Tournament. FIU is the No. 9 seed
● The winner will face WKU on Sunday, March 8 in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals at Summit Arena in Hot Springs, Ark. Game time is set for 12:30 p.m.
BACK HOME IN THE ‘DOME
● Thanks to FIU, UNO, ULM and Arkansas State losses last Thursday, Louisiana secured a home game in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament on March 4.
● Louisiana will meet FIU. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
● It’s the Cajuns’ 16th home game – the most at home since 1997-98 (17).
STEPPING UP AGAINST THE BEST
● In five games this season against WKU, UALR and Troy, combined, Chris Gradnigo averaged 21.4 points and shot 38-of-64 (10-of-19 three-point range).
● He broke 20 points three times – 20 vs. UALR, 23 at WKU and 29 vs. Troy
SUPPORTING CAST STEPS UP
● Since February began, the Cajuns have seen a solid supporting cast for “The Triple Threat” of Travis Bureau, Randell Daigle and Chris Gradnigo to lean upon.
● The group of Jeremy Barr (6.4 ppg), La’Ryan Gary (9.3 ppg), Tyren Johnson (5.5 ppg), Ryan McCoy (5.1 ppg) and Courtney Wallace (3.5 ppg) has combined to average 29.8 points per game, or 44 percent of UL’s offense in February (67.6 ppg).
● That has helped lighten the load for “The Triple Threat” which at one point was producing 67 percent of the UL offense. Now, it’s down to 56 percent.
IMPROVED FREE THROW SHOOTING
● UL has shot 167-of-223 (75 percent) from the charity stripe in the last 12 games. That has helped raise the season percentage from 61% to 67%.
THE 500 CLUB
● Chris Gradnigo reached 500 career points at Florida Atlantic. Now two other Cajuns are in the neighborhood of 500 career points.
● Travis Bureau (491) is nine (9) points shy of 500. Randell Daigle (470) is 30 away.
THE TRIPLE THREAT
● The combination of Travis Bureau, Randell Daigle and Chris Gradnigo fuel the Louisiana offense.
● They combine to average 37.3 points of the Cajuns’ 66.6 average (56%).
● They combine for 145 three-point field goals made out of UL’s 199 (73%).
● Overall shooting percentages: Gradnigo (45.8%), Bureau (41.8%), Daigle (37.7%).
UALR LEFTOVERS
● The Cajuns held UALR to 40.9 percent shooting. UL shot 42.6 percent on the Sun Belt’s best field goal percentage defense.
● Chris Gradnigo scored double figures on the Trojans, again. He contributed 17 points.
● Jeremy Barr made four field goals for the second time in the last three games.
● Randell Daigle dished out at least three assists for the third straight game. Daigle scored 10 points, his fifth double digit game in the past six outings.
● UALR took advantage of free throws. The Trojans were 27-of-34 to only 8-of-12 for UL.
●Outside of the 13-0 UALR run which upped their lead to 39-25, the Cajuns stayed within six points or less the entire evening.
LAST TIME VS. FIU (Feb. 5, 2009 in CAJUNDOME – UL won 90-73)
● Chris Gradnigo scored a career-high 31 points to pace the Cajuns. He and Randell Daigle (15 points) each hit five 3-pointers.
● Louisiana got off to a quick start scoring the game’s first eight points. Randell Daigle hit two treys during the 18-minute mark to cap off the run.
● The Cajuns continued their sharp shooting from three-point range as the squad made three straight triples – two from Gradnigo and one from Travis Bureau – which pushed the lead to 19-8 by the 13:36 mark.
● A layup by Cedric Essola at 3:53 helped FIU close the deficit to 36-29. Louisiana outscored FIU 10-2 to gain a 15-point edge with 49 seconds left in the first half.
● UL’s lead was 24, 71-47, on a Bureau trey with 13:33 left to play. The closest FIU got the remainder of the game was 15 points at 88-73 with 37 seconds remaining.
BY THE NUMBERS
1 - The next three-point make will give the Cajuns 200 for the second straight season
7-1 - Louisiana is 7-1 all-time in the CAJUNDOME against FIU. UL has won the last six meetings
8 - Louisiana is the No. 8 seed for the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Tournament
8 - Travis Bureau needs eight (8) more three-point makes for 100 in his career
9 - Travis Bureau is nine points from recording his 500th career point
9-6 - UL was 9-6 at home this season; FIU was only 2-12 away from Miami
13 - Louisiana has committed 13 or fewer turnovers in 10 of the last 12 games
14 - Louisiana made 14 triples in the earlier meeting with FIU this season on Feb. 5 at CAJUNDOME. UL outscored FIU 42-12 from three-point range
14.3 - Chris Gradnigo’s points average in Sun Belt play. He’s scored double figures in 13 of the Cajuns’ 18 Sun Belt contests
21.4 - In five games vs. WKU, UALR, & Troy, combined, Chris Gradnigo averaged 21.4 points/game
31 - Chris Gradnigo scored 31 points in the earlier meeting with FIU. He became the first UL player since Nov. 2006 to score 30 at the CAJUNDOME
SERIES HISTORY (Louisiana leads 13-4, overall; Louisiana leads 7-1 in CAJUNDOME; Louisiana leads 8-1 in Lafayette)
● Wednesday’s meeting is the 18th installment in the Cajuns-Golden Panthers series.
● Tonight’s game will be the ninth (9th) meeting in the CAJUNDOME. The Cajuns are 7-1 in the ‘DOME against FIU and have won the last six meetings held in the facility.
● Second meeting in Sun Belt Tournament; first meeting came in 2005 event at Denton, Texas.
● The teams split four meetings from the 2005-06 through 2007-08 season. Prior to that, Louisiana had an eight-game winning streak from 1999-2000 through 2004-05.
● First meeting between the schools took place on Nov. 27, 1982 at Blackham Coliseum (Cajuns won 105-54). The two programs met just one more time until FIU joined the SBC in time for the 1998-99 season – a 104-93 double-overtime victory by then-USL on Dec. 30, 1991.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
If Louisiana wins Wednesday evening, the Cajuns would then head to Hot Springs, Ark., on Friday to continue play in the Sun Belt Tournament. UL would then meet WKU (21-8) in the tournament quarterfinals on Sunday, March 8 at 12:30 p.m., in Summit Arena.
Should the Cajuns win, the season record will improve to an 11-19 mark. At some point the season will come to an end with 20 losses.
RaginCajuns.com
Louisiana opens SBC Tournament play Wednesday vs FIU winner gets WKU
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