Ragin' Cajuns drop Privateers in overtime
Southhall gets job done late for UL
By Marty Mulé
LAFAYETTE -- Chained by a collapsing UNO defense for most the night, Louisiana center Michael Southall broke free when it counted most: with the game on the line.
Southall scored seven points in overtime as UL overcame a determined Privateers effort to pull out a 79-75 victory Saturday night at the Cajundome.
The Ragin' Cajuns (16-6, 8-1 Sun Belt) have won 19 consecutive home games and sent UNO to its third straight defeat -- and second overtime loss in a week. The Privateers (12-11, 5-6) are 0-9 on the road.
Southall had three points and two rebounds in the first half, and nine points at the end of regulation. But he scored the first seven of ULL's 14 points in overtime.
"My teammates expect me to be a leader," said Southall, a 6-foot-11 sophomore. "It's my job to step up. At the half they told me they'd get me the ball more, and for me to be more aggressive."
It took longer than the usual 20 minutes, but UNO coach Monte Towe admitted, "Late in the game, we had no answer for Southall."
UNO's Nerijus Lisauskas, Victor Brown and Tommy Biggoms, all with help, took turns defending Southall, generally with success. The Privateers out-rebounded the Cajuns 33-25; Southall grabbed only five.
"Our kids put their hearts out on the floor tonight," Towe said. But he made note of his team's 19 turnovers.
"Our margin for error is not very much. We gave them too many opportunities at critical times."
Four Privateers scored in double-figures. Hector Romero scored 20, Kyle Buggs 17, Johnell Smith 12 and Lisauskas 10. UL also had four: Southall, Brad Boyd at 15, Anthony Johnson at 13 and Laurie Bridges at 11.
The first half belonged to UNO, thanks to perimeter shooting and the Privateers' defense against Southall. UNO collapsed as many as three men -- mostly with Lisauskas and, briefly, Biggoms -- on Southall.
UNO led most of the first half, scoring the first four points on free throws by Lisauskas and Romero, then holding the Cajuns at bay until halftime. ULL's main weapon in the first half was Johnson, who hit three 3-pointers in five attempts, keeping the Cajuns from falling dangerously behind.
UL led at 18-17 and 20-19, but the Privateers answered each time. Lisauskas made a reverse layup for a 19-18 lead, and two pull-up jumpers by Johnell Smith put UNO back in front 23-20. A rash of Cajuns turnovers in the last couple of minutes staked the Privateers to a 36-29 lead at the half.
UNO opened a 10-point lead at 43-33 in the second half before the Cajuns charged back behind the outside shooting of Boyd -- UL's leading scorer, who didn't get his first basket until less than 10 minutes left to play.
The game was UL's first overtime contest since Feb. 24, 2001, when the Cajuns beat UNO 86-75 at Lakefront Arena. The last in Lafayette was Nov. 1997, when the Cajuns beat Virginia Commonwealth 77-71 -- in Coach Jessie Evans' first game.
Evans said this was the kind of game that stirs the blood. "It's like a duck on the pond," he said of his feelings during the back-and-forth finish. "Calm on the surface, but paddling like hell underneath."
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