Box Score

LAFAYETTE, La. – Louisiana outscored the University of South Alabama men's basketball team 17-2 over a 6:50 stretch in the second half en route to a 76-57 victory Thursday night at the Cajundome.

The Ragin' Cajuns (18-3, 8-0 Sun Belt) led by six with 12:52 left in the contest before scoring 17 of the next 19 points. Malik Marquetti and Jakeenan Gant had five points each, ULL went 3 for 6 from distance and held a plus-7 rebounding margin while holding USA to 1-for-7 shooting and four turnovers.

Marquetti led all players with 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting from deep, and Bryce Washington grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds. Gant added 16 points and four blocks.

For the Jaguars (11-10, 4-4 SBC), sophomore Trhae Mitchell recorded a new career high with 16 points and pulled down a team-best eight rebounds. Sophomore Josh Ajayi totaled 13 points.

GAME FACTS
- Louisiana jumped out to a 10-0 lead and was up 19-6 seven minutes into the contest, but South Alabama scored 13 unanswered points in 4 ½ minutes – six from junior Rodrick Sikes – to tie the game at 27-27
- Marquetti scored the next five points and UL went into the break up 34-29
- The Cajuns led by as many as 11 early in the second half, but Ajayi converted an old-fashioned three-point play and sophomore Kevin Morris followed with a bucket to cut the margin to 49-43 with 12:52 left
- Gant dunked home the next two points just 20 seconds later – the first of seven straight – and after USA freshman Joe Thompson hit a layup, a Marquetti jumper opened a run of 10 unanswered points that culminated in two free throws from Johnathan Stove for a 66-45 lead
- Louisiana went 12 for 24 from 3-point land on the evening, led by Marquetti's 5-for-9 effort

NOTES
- Louisiana has won four of the last five meetings in the series
- USA is shooting 20.3 percent from 3-point land in the last four games
- After going into the Appalachian State game ranked third in the nation in 3-point defense, South Alabama has allowed its last two opponents to shoot 48.9 percent from distance on 22 treys; the previous three opponents converted just 18.8 percent
- Sikes was held to six points on 1-for-10 shooting, ending his 19-game streak with at least 10 points
- Ajayi is averaging 18.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in his last three games
- ULL outrebounded USA 24-9 in the second half, including 9-6 on the Cajuns' offensive end
- Mitchell went 7 for 10 from the field to set a new career high in field goals made, and he made his only 3-point attempt

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Matthew Graves
Opening statement: "In the first half, I was proud of the way we responded. We got down 13 early and we had a couple of chances to take the lead late in the first half. I thought we battled back and we did great job in the first half of boxing out – they only had two offensive rebounds. Unfortunately, in the second half, we got extended defensively and they hurt us on the offensive glass. We've got to finish 2-point field goals a lot better than we did tonight."

On Louisiana fending off South Alabama's comeback attempts: "There's a reason they're the No. 1 team in the Sun Belt currently. I felt like we did a good job of turning them over, but we weren't able to capitalize on those turnovers by getting out and making some 3s in transition and getting some easy baskets. A lot of baskets we got tonight, we really had to work for – that's a bad recipe for a long night offensively."

On the Cajuns' 3-pointers: "When they're making 3s, I don't know that anybody in the Sun Belt can beat them. You get extended and they can expose you with their post-up and getting to the offensive glass. It goes to show you what a balanced team they have."

On Trhae Mitchell's night: "I thought Trhae did an outstanding job. He was one of the few guys that were able to finish in transition or in the halfcourt at the rim. He really competed and battled. Hopefully this is more of a breakout game for Trhae with his ability to score the ball at the rim. I was really proud of him."

UP NEXT
South Alabama wraps up the weekend Saturday at 2 p.m. on the road against ULM.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Jaguar Athletic Fund (JAF) Priority Fund, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to the Priority Fund directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give

—USA—