GT: Louisiana Defeats Mc McNeese 71-70

[UL_Cajuns]

Im am so glad we won this game.

It shows that we need alot more improvement.

I give mcneese credit, they will do good in the southland. Our shooting has to improve.

[NewsCopy]

LAKE CHARLES - With all the struggles that the University of Louisiana has had on the perimeter this year, the Ragin' Cajun frontcourt has had to take on more and more responsibility.

But Chris Cameron took that responsibility to a new level here Thursday.

The 6-foot-11 senior Australian nailed an open three-pointer from the right corner with 0.9 seconds left, bringing the Cajuns from the brink of a disappointing loss and providing a 71-70 victory over McNeese' Cowboys in a "retro" night at the Lake Charles Civic Center.

Cameron's shot came after the host Cowboys led by four points in the final minute, and gave the Cajuns (5-5) their first hostile-court victory of the season.

"That was the most important thing," said Cameron, who finished with 14 points as one of four Cajuns in double figures. "We hadn't won on the road, and after the embarrassment at Kansas we've been going twice a day, trying to get everyone on the same page."

Neither the Cajuns nor the Cowboys (4-6) were on the same page much in a game that featured 38 turnovers (McNeese 20, UL 18), but the final seven seconds went just like Cajun head coach Robert Lee drew it up.

Trailing by a 70-68 margin, UL had possession on the sideline with 7.1 seconds left, and Dwayne Mitchell got possession on a give-back and was watching for leading scorer Tiras Wade to come off Cameron's screen.

But Wade, as he was much of the evening, was double-teamed, and freshman Aldrynn Wardell - Cameron's man - was the one providing the double-team on a switch.

Cameron rolled off his pick and was wide open at the arc, and had time to shuffle one foot back to get behind the line before firing off the game-winner.

"Coach Lee drew it up just like that," said Cameron after the first game-winning three of his basketball career. "We figured they were going to double up Tiras, and he said I'd be open if he was and to shoot it."

"At the end, we figured he (Wade) was going to be the go-to guy," said Cowboy coach Tic Price. "But we've said all week that Cameron was capable of making the three. That's what veteran players do ... he's been in the wars for four years now.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[Turbine]

Lets face it McNeese is not a good team but for some reason they play rivals or LA teams tough.

Louisiana went into their place and the guy who has a Louisiana outback Parish named after him came away a hero. Hey with his game ending 3-pointer, Chris Cameron now owns Southwest Louisiana; why not name a parish after him.

Many will come away disheartened that it had to come down to Cameron heroics. But remember, McNeese went into Baton Rouge and left with a 1-bucket loss. A 1-bucket win at their place is nothing to be ashamed of, they play LA teams tough.

[DestinCajun]

"A 1-bucket win at their place is nothing to be ashamed of, they play LA teams tough."

It means we beat them by 12-14 in the Cajundome or at a neutral site. Same story line as Ga State.

When will our fans recognize this team has some limitations? And that was true before Orien Green broke his leg. Wins like this one are B-I-G!

[El Sidonio]

Amen to playing LA teams tough. By the amount we lost to LSU compared to McNeese's loss to LSU, I had a feeling we wouldn't just waltz in there and leave with a win. Except for a good portion of the first half, we had to fight for this one! But I tell you what, me and my friends and about half the people in attendance (all UL fans I might add), just about had a heart attack when Chris hit the 3! It was almost as much joy as I felt when Comiskey hit the game winning FG against NMSU last year for our first football victory. I felt like we won the national championship! Anyhoo, the fact that we won a game it seems like we were on our way to losing, says that luck is more in our favor. Luck combined with all the skill and potential we have this season, will take us a long way.

God Bless.

p.s.- I was VERY impressed with the huge amount of UL people we had there.