The Book: 2002-2003 Basketball (Ragin'Cajuns)

[Louisiana]

20-10 NIT Birth

Team Stats for each game. Reverse chronological order

Below is a post by post, game by game look at the season. It starts before anyone quite knew what the schedule would be . . . Hopefully it captures how some felt as the season progressed. Included are key newspaper articles, if a link is broken please inform the webmaster.

[NewsCopy]

LAFAYETTE - There has been no official release of Louisiana's 2002-03 men's basketball schedule, but the schedule is basically complete.

At least, that's according to the opponents on the Ragin' Cajuns' schedule.

A check of Internet web sites for 23 reported Louisiana opponents came up with 24 scheduled contests matching those schools against the Cajuns.

Three schools - Mississippi State, South Alabama and Florida International - did not display a 2002-03 basketball schedule on their sites. Dates and sites for games with USA and FIU were confirmed by telephone. An originally-scheduled Nov. 23 season opener at Mississippi State could not be confirmed.

The unofficial schedule includes only 11 home games, not including any exhibition games that Louisiana may schedule. Eight of those 11 are Sun Belt Conference contests, with the three non-conference home contests including Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 30, Louisiana College on Dec. 11 and Alcorn State on Dec. 16.

The Cajuns will play in three tournaments, all on the road, during the season. UL Lafayette will make its second appearance in the Golden Bear Classic in Berkeley, Calif., in five years for that Dec. 20-21 event, and will play three games in the Pepsi Charlotte Holiday Classic in Charlotte, N.C., Dec. 27-29.

The season wraps up in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament March 6-11 in Bowling Green, Ky., with the combined men's and women's event hosted by Western Kentucky.

UL will meet Detroit-Mercy in the opener of the Golden Bear meet and either host California or Grambling on the second day of that tournament. The Cajuns will face Colorado, Loyola-Chicago and host Charlotte on the three days of the Charlotte meet.

Non-conference road games are scheduled at McNeese State (Nov. 27), Birmingham Southern (Dec. 8), Houston (Jan. 4) and Providence (Jan. 15)

Original link broken

[BirdofParadise]

The Bethune Cookman game is now on Dec. 18

[PattiTatum]

I keep looking at this schedule and I realize one thing......IT SUCKS!!!!

It looks piecemealed together for whatever could be found to play. I know the conference schedule is set but the rest really bites.
I hope those who plan to attend the confernce tournament in Bowling Green this year don't plan on a long stay. I have the feeling with this schedule it will be a short trip.


*****Sorry for the strong language but I needed to vent about what basketball is looking like this year*********

[willkner]

Ladies and Gentlemen-

I am the current Spirit Chairperson on the University Program Council and I would like to announce to everyone that Midnight Madness will be Friday, October 11th, from 10:00pm to 12:00am with the basketball team beginning practice at promptly midnight. There will be 3-point, slam dunk, and 3-on-3 finals for the students to participate in. Also, we will have free food and drinks, sorry but the beer costs money. Come out and help us usher in the beginning of basketball season. Hope to see you there, unless you are on your way to New Mexico St.

Thanks,
Will

[Cajun1997]

Originally posted by willkner
Hope to see you there, unless you are on your way to New Mexico St.

Wish I could be there or on my way to the New Mexico State game.

Stuck in Mississippi

[NewsCopy]

LAFAYETTE - How much will Louisiana miss Michael Southall?

The Ragin' Cajuns would miss him more next March than they will at the beginning of the season, when the star sophomore center will be sidelined by academic problems, since he will be allowed to practice with the team.

But coach Jessie Evans' squad will still have to cope with Southall being unavailable for games until the fall semester is complete.

Also out until the Dec. 8 Birmingham Southern game are guard Laurie Bridges and forward-center Cedric Williams

"It shouldn't be a distraction," Immanuel Washington said. "We all have our assignments to do. It's a big loss, but we'll just have to fight through it. Hopefully we'll be at full strength for the season so we can reach our goal of making it to the NCAA Tournament.

"We have to develop teamwork and commit ourselves to basketball. First of all, we have to take care of our business in the classroom. Then, on the floor, we all have to know our role with the team and to do what coach asks of you."

Southall arrived with practice under way at Blackham Coliseum on Monday, appropriately enough coming from class, as his teammates got warmed up.

"I think it will help us," Brad Boyd said. "For those first two games, somebody's going to have to step up in their place. Then, once the other guys come back and eventually take their place in the lineup, the others are going to have the ability to perform when they get in the game.

"It's not good that they're out, but it could help us in the long run."

Khadim Kandji and Chris Cameron are two obvious choices to fill in for Southall, but if it takes him time to get his rhythm back the Cajuns could miss his 13-point, 7.5-rebound average.

Boyd, Washington and swingman Anthony Johnson (14.9 ppg, 7.0 rebounds) are other starters returning for the Cajuns, who finished 20-11 last season and made the NIT. Another year of eligibility is still pending for point guard Blane Harmon.

"Leadership is what this team is lacking," Evans said. "We were without Blane last year, but were able to recover and win 20 games. Leadership is something we'll try to cultivate as we go along.

"You'd like for your seniors to step up, and we've seen that from Khadim, Robert Jupiter and Anthony. Even Immanuel has stepped up. They're starting to emerge. You don't have to be the leading scorer or rebounder. You can lead by talk and by example.

"We have to have someone that the others can look up to."

"Everybody should take part of the responsibility of leadership," Washington said. "For yourselves, first, and as a team. It's not just one person."

Boyd wasn't thinking about who the Cajuns will miss when the season starts. He's more focused on a different ending in 2003.

"I felt we underachieved last year," Boyd said. "We had a lot of starters who were juniors and sophomores, our starting center was a freshman and I'm sure there were butterflies for big games. This year everybody is more confident, not as nervous.

"I felt we should have gone 25-8 and gone to the NCAA. I want to go to the big tournament."

It will take every available Cajun to make that happen.

South Louisiana Publishing
Bruce Brown
Web Link broken

[Cajun1997]

Record Last Season
1 Western Kentucky 28-4 3
2 Gonzaga 29-4 2
3 Pepperdine 22-9 8
4 Southern Illinois 28-8 5
5 Creighton 23-9 4
6 Pennsylvania 25-7 11
7 Ball State 23-12 15
8 Louisiana 20-11 20
9 Ohio 17-11 NR
10 UC-Irvine 21-11 18
11 Tennessee Tech 27-7 7
12 UC-Santa Barbara 20-11 21
13 Utah State 23-8 12
14 East Tennessee State 18-10 NR
15 Niagara 18-14 NR
16 UNC-Wilmington 23-10 10
17 Arkansas-Little Rock 18-11 NR
18 Wisconsin-Milwaukee 16-10 NR
19 Yale 21-11 24
20 Butler 26-6 6
21 Manhattan 20-9 NR
22 Eastern Washington 17-13 NR
23 Weber State 18-11 NR
24 Kent State 30-6 1
25 Oral Roberts 17-14 NR




OTHERS RECEIVING CONSIDERATION: Akron, Alcorn State, Boston University, Bowling Green, Canisius, Central Connecticut State, Colgate, College of Charleston, Davidson, Detroit, Drake, Drexel, George Mason, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Hampton, Holy Cross, Iona, IUPUI, Jacksonville, Lamar, Loyola-Chicago, Mercer, McNeese State, Miami, Montana State, Morehead State, Murray State, New Mexico State, New Orleans, UNC Asheville, UNC Greensboro, North Texas, Oakland, Sam Houston State, Samford, San Francisco, Valparaiso, Vermont, Virginia Commonwealth, Wagner, Western Michigan.

VOTING PANEL
Bart Bellairs (VMI), Tim Buckley (Ball State), Rick Byrd (Belmont), Tim Carter (Texas-San Antonio), Tom Conrad (East Tennessee State), Dan Dakich (Bowling Green), Jeff DiBattisto (Gardner-Webb), Pat Douglass (UC Irvine), Scott Drew (Valparaiso), Hugh Durham (Jacksonville), Jessie Evans (Louisiana), Bruiser Flint (Drexel), John Giannini (Maine), Mike Gillian (George Mason), Seth Greenberg (South Florida), Don Harnum (Rider), Barry Hinson (Southwest Missouri State), Brad Holland (San Diego), Greg Kampe (Oakland), Billy Lee (Campbell), Kyle Macy (Morehead State), Dave Magarity (Marist), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Steve Merfeld (Evansville), Alex Peavy (Wofford), John Robic (Youngstown State), Ed Schilling (Wright State), Patrick Sellers (Central Connecticut State), Patrick Skerry (William & Mary), Pete Strickland (Coastal Carolina), Perry Watson (Detroit)

NOTE: The Mid-Major Poll is made up of teams from the following conferences: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Continent, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Sun Belt, West Coast.

The CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Top 25 is now in its fourth year of existence.

[NewsCopy]

NEW ORLEANS - The Sun Belt Conference men's basketball coaches are in agreement on two things.

They all agree that the Sun Belt will be in line for more than one bid to the NCAA Tournament after this season.

And, they feel that they're playing enough quality teams in non-conference play to solidify those spots - if they take care of business.

"It all depends on what happens against the non-conference teams early," said long-time New Mexico State head coach Lou Henson. "But we have the teams in this league good enough to win a lot of those games."

"We need wins in November and December against quality opponents," said New Orleans boss Monte Towe.

The league coaches wrapped up their annual Media Day activities Wednesday with high hopes, both as a league and as individual teams. Consider:

* Nine of the 11 conference teams have four or more starters returning;

* Six members of last year's 10-man all-league team are back this season along with four of the five honorable mention selections;

* Four members of the five-man all-tournament team from last year's meet return; and

* In a unique situation, the last two Players of the Year are still around.

"I was pretty excited about my team with the players we have returning," said UL Lafayette's Jessie Evans, "and then I got the conference media guide."

"That's pretty incredible that nine teams have four or five starters back," said Porter Moser of Arkansas-Little Rock. "That means you can't just assume because you have guys back, you're going to be good."

Among those returnees is Western Kentucky senior center Chris Marcus, who wasn't expected to return to school two years ago after being heralded as one of the nation's top centers. The 7-foot-1, 285-pound standout struggled through an injury-plagued 2001-02 season, playing in only 15 games after bypassing the NBA Draft, but was still selected as the league's preseason Player of the Year.

Marcus once again passed on the draft last spring, with his ankle injury preventing him from taking part in workouts for NBA clubs. He had surgery late in the spring and has not begun on-court practice for the coming season.

The rest of the story

[NewsCopy]

NEW ORLEANS - The Sun Belt Conference men's coaches agree on one other thing - Western Kentucky and UL Lafayette are the prohibitive favorites to capture the East and West Division titles respectively.

Each was a unanimous selection by the 11 coaches in the league's preseason poll announced Wednesday during Media Day activities.

"They're really the cream of the crop," said New Mexico State head coach Lou Henson of the two defending division champs. "They make some very good divisions even better."

New Mexico State, picked second behind the Ragin' Cajuns in the West, shared the division title with UL Lafayette last year, but the Cajuns took the No. 1 seed courtesy of a 69-67 regular-season-ending win over the Aggies. WKU and UL Lafayette also reached the finals of the league tournament, with the Hilltoppers claiming the title with a 76-70 victory.

"We enjoy the bull's eye," said WKU coach Dennis Felton, whose team went 28-4 last season. "We'd like to be in the favorite's position every year because that means we've accomplished something. Our team is accustomed to being in this spot."

The Cajuns went 20-10 and were invited to the NIT, falling to Louisiana Tech in the opening round, and returns seven of its top eight scorers from last season.

"I like the way our guys are coming around," said Cajun mentor Jessie Evans. "We're making progress. But there's so much parity in this league. It will be a tremendous race."

Behind Western in the East preseason poll were Arkansas-Little Rock (18-11), Florida International (10-20), Middle Tennessee (14-15) and Arkansas State (15-16). Trailing the Cajuns in the coaches' voting were NMSU (20-12), New Orleans (15-14), North Texas (15-14), Denver (8-20) and South Alabama (7-21).

The rest of the story

[NewsCopy]

Advertisers-Dan McDonald

LAFAYETTE - Experience is on the side of Louisiana's men's basketball squad.

No more talk about the youthfulness of the Ragin' Cajuns.

Nine of last year's top 11 scorers return from last year's 20-11 unit, and all nine of them started at one point during a campaign in which the Cajuns were 60 seconds away from a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

They got the consolation prize, an NIT tournament berth, and the players departed from that squad combined to average only 12.7 points per game. Australian newcomer Chris Cameron, now eligible, may get that many by himself.

But Jessie Evans has already sounded words of warning. Experience alone won't win the Sun Belt Conference this year.

"I was excited about my team and how many players we have returning," he said at the league's Media Day, "and then I got the conference media guide."

Nine of the 11 Sun Belt teams have four or more starters returning, an amazing number.

"There's a lot of parity in this league," said Evans, who enters his sixth year at the Cajun helm averaging over 18 wins per year in his career. "There are a number of teams that can make postseason play."

Count his UL Lafayette squad among them, especially if three key components - sophomore center Michael Southall, junior swingman Laurie Bridges and first-year sophomore forward Cedric Williams - survive their academic turmoil as expected.

That trio is ineligible for games prior to the end of the fall term, but will miss only two outings (Nov. 23 at Mississippi State and Nov. 27 at McNeese) if they fulfill classroom requirements and become part of a very deep team.

The rest of the story

[NewsCopy]

Advertisers-Dan McDonald

LAFAYETTE - For the new players on the UL men's basketball squad, it's the big white building with the round top on Congress Street.

Until Monday afternoon, for some members of the Ragin' Cajun squad, that was the only significance the Cajundome has had since the start of the fall semester.

On Monday, the team was able to conduct practice in the facility for the first time, two days prior to the team's exhibition opener against the Slovakian national team.

"Our guys were excited just to get in here," said Cajun coach Jessie Evans after the team worked out for just under two hours Monday afternoon. "The floor's down the rest of this week, so I told them that every opportunity they had, they can come over and shoot some, get accustomed to the building, the atmosphere and the surroundings."

The Cajuns tip off their season at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday as part of a doubleheader with the Louisiana women's squad, which hosts Henderson State in a 4:30 p.m. exhibition opener.

The rest of the story