Ragin' Cajuns begin preparations for 2003-04 season

LOUISIANA La. - The University of Louisiana basketball team will hit the hardwood for the first time as they open the 2003-04 season on Saturday, Oct. 18 with their first practice.

They will begin their first official practice of the 2003-04 season at 9 a.m. at Blackham Coliseum. Head coach Jessie Evans and his squad will also practice Sunday at 9 a.m. and at 3:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Beginning Saturday, Oct. 25 the Cajuns will stage intrasquad scrimmages after 45 minutes of regular practice. Also on Oct. 25 there will be a "Meet the Team" session.

The Ragin' Cajuns return three starters from last season's 20-10 squad which won the program's second straight Sun Belt West Division title and advanced to the National Invitational Tournament also for the second straight season.

The returning corps is highlighted by last season's leading scorer Brad Boyd who made a career single-season best 104 three-pointers and ranked fourth in the nation with 3.9 three-point field goals made per game. The Opelousas native averaged 16.8 points per game and scored in double-figures in 23 of 27 games played.

The Cajuns will also be helped by the return of fellow senior Laurie Bridges. Last season the New Orleans native and Carver High product scored in double figures 19 times and scored 20 or more points four times after never scoring above 20 in his first two seasons with the Cajuns. He averaged a personal single-season best 11.9 points per game and was second on the team with 41 steals.

Evans, beginning his seventh season at the helm, also welcomes seven newcomers. Among the new names are University of Florida transfer Orien Greene and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi transfer Brian Hamilton. The Cajuns also have two Lafayette natives on the squad in St. Thomas More products Adam James and Ross Mouton.

The Ragin' Cajuns basketball team will open their exhibition seasons on Thursday, Nov. 6 in a doubleheader at the Cajundome. They take on Delta State in a 7:05 p.m. tilt. While the women will face Everyone's Internet at 4:45 p.m.

LOUISIANA SI