Tyren Johnson posted a double-double scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the Ragin' Cajuns 55-49 win over Denver Thursday at the Cajundome. Louisiana held Denver, the nation's second-ranked shooting team at 53 percent, to a season-low 35 percent. UL improved to 10-1 vs. Denver at the Cajundome and remained unbeaten at home in SBC play.

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns held Denver, the nation's second-ranked shooting squad and Sun Belt West division leader, to a season-low 35 percent and left the Cajundome with a 55-49 victory Thursday evening.

Louisiana (6-10, 3-2 Sun Belt) remained undefeated (3-0) at home in Sun Belt Conference play. The win came one week after knocking off preseason SBC West favorite North Texas.

The Cajuns were paced by the trio of Chris Gradnigo, Tyren Johnson and Randell Daigle which combined for 45 points (82 percent of team's total). Gradnigo led the way with 18 on 7-of-10 shooting.

Denver (12-6, 5-2 Sun Belt) came into the night shooting 53 percent for the season. It was just the second time this season - in 18 games - that the Pioneers were held below 40 percent.

UL improved to 10-1 all-time at the Cajundome vs. Denver, winning for the fifth straight time.

After DU cut the lead to 5-4 following a Nate Rohnert floater at 17:58 the Cajuns rolled off a 7-0 run capped off by a Johnson basket at 14:28.

Rohnert broke the Cajuns run at 13:42, and then the Cajuns proceeded to pound the ball inside finding Gradnigo twice and Johnson once for six unanswered points that increased the advantage to 18-6 by the 11:22 mark.

Louisiana shot 8-of-10 (80%) in the opening nine minutes and held the Pioneers to 3-of-12 (25%) shooting.

Daigle's third three-point make of the opening stanza came at 7:36 and upped the lead to 23-8.

UL forced Denver into a shot clock violation at 3:09 and on the ensuing possession Gradnigo hit a jumper in the right wing at 2:45 to move the lead into 20 points for the first time, 30-10.

Rob Lewis scored the final seven points of the half to help the Pioneers trim the deficit to 30-17 heading into the locker room.

After a slow start to the second half by both teams - combined 3-of-10 shooting - the Cajuns scored baskets on back-to-back possessions out of the 15-minute media timeout to return the advantage to 20-plus points.

Gradnigo hit a jumper at 14:50 and after a blocked shot by Colby Batiste the Cajuns found Daigle in the right corner for a triple at 14:05 that made it 41-20.

The Cajuns went without a field goal make from 14:05 through 4:24 and the Pioneers used a 14-4 run to chip away at the deficit, dropping it to 45-34.

A triple by Brian Stafford at 4:04 pulled DU within 10, 47-37, then three UL turnovers led to six unanswered points. Stafford hit two freebies at 2:22 to make it 47-43.

Raymone Andrews hit a pair of free throws at 2:16 and UL got a defensive stop. A Gradnigo free throw at 1:58 increased the lead to 50-43.

DU would get a jumper from Rohnert at 1:32 to make it a five-point contest. The Cajuns forced turnovers on the next two Pioneer possessions and sealed the victory at the free throw line.

The Ragin' Cajuns travel to Little Rock, Ark., for a meeting with UALR on Saturday, Jan. 16 at the Jack Stephens Center. Game time is 7 p.m. UL seeks to end a five-game losing streak against the Trojans.

The next game at the Cajundome is set for Thursday, Jan.21 against Interstate 10 rival New Orleans at 7:05 p.m.

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