Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be live streamed on CUSA.TV

Louisiana Men's Basketball will begin the first road trip of the new season when it travels to Hattiesburg, Miss. to take on Southern Miss. at 7 p.m. Friday. The game will be available for live stream on CUSA.TV and broadcasted over the radio on ESPN 1420.

On Tuesday, Louisiana routed West Florida 81-47 to open the program's 108th season. Newcomer Jordan Brown led the way for the Ragin' Cajuns in game one with 14 points, seven rebounds a team-high four assists and three blocks.

In his first career start, second-year walk on Kentrell Garnett contributed a career-high 10 points and on 4 of 7 shooting from the floor.

Louisiana's newly formed front-court combo of Jordan Brown and junior Theo Akwuba found immediate chemistry and patrolled the paint from the opening tip. As a team, the Ragin Cajuns outscored the Argonauts 46-22 around the basket.

Southern Miss enters Friday on following a season-opening victory over William and Carey. The future Sun Belt foe was 8-17 in its 2020-21 campaign. The Golden Eagles were picked to finish 12th in the Conference USA preseason poll and were led by a 30 point performance by junior guard Tae Hardy in game one.

BLOCK PARTY
With nine blocks against West Florida, Louisiana is tied for ninth in the country in swatted shots. Brown and Redshirt freshman Kobe Julien recorded three apiece to pace the team in the category.

SERIES NOTES
Friday will mark the 45th meeting between the two programs with the Golden Eagles holding a 27-17 advantage. The teams last faced off in 2009 with Southern Miss. prevailing 71-53 in Hattiesburg.

PLAYER TO WATCH: KOBE JULIEN
Now in his third year in a Louisiana uniform, Julien has battled through injuries in his career. Fully healthy, the redshirt freshman is looking to put together a season he has displayed glimpses of in the past. In his first collegiate season, Julien led Sun Belt Conference freshman in scoring with 12.8 points per game and in rebounding, grabbing 5.5 boards per contest.

Julien scored 12 points in the season opener on Tuesday and added three blocks on the defensive end. In the Ragin' Cajuns preseason charity exhibition against No. 14 Alabama, the Baton Rouge, La. native tallied a team high 17 points on 6 of 14 shooting from the floor.

LOUISIANA LEGACY
Louisiana's 2021-22 roster features two second-generation talents in Julien and Brown. Julien's father Wayne was with the program from 1976-81 and was a member of the 1977 Southland Conference championship team.

Dion Brown lettered for the Ragin' Cajuns from 1980-84 and finished his career as one of the top scorers and rebounders in school history. Brown, a 1984 graduate of UL, earned All-Southland Conference honors in 1982 and was a two-time All-Louisiana selection.

He finished his career with 1,412 points and 926 rebounds (then second in school history) and helped then-USL to the championship of the 1982 Great Alaskan Shootout where he was named to the All-Tournament team.