Cajuns Close Out Shipley Classic With Win Over Nicholls 11/20/11

Box Score

The Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball team shot above 50 percent in each half and closed out the Beryl Shipley Classic presented by Budweiser with an 84-57 victory over Nicholls State Sunday afternoon at the Cajundome.

Louisiana (3-3) made twice as many field goals (32-16) than Nicholls State and used six 3-point field goal makes in the second half to fuel a 48-point outburst in the second stanza that broke open a five-point halftime lead.

J.J. Thomas led the Ragin’ Cajuns with 15 points. Joining him in double figures were Darnell Jackson (12 points), Kadeem Coleby (11 points) and Darshawn McClellan (10 points).

The Colonels (1-4) received a game-high 17 points from Chris Talkington.

UL held Nicholls to 32 percent shooting (16-of-49) improving to 3-0 this season when holding the opposition below 40 percent.

Three Cajuns received All-Tournament honors as Kadeem Coleby, Darshawn McClellan and J.J. Thomas were named to the Beryl Shipley Classic All-Tournament Team.

The Cajuns return to action next weekend with trip to Pittsburgh to face Duquesne on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. (CDT). It’s the first of two games on a trip that wraps up Monday, Nov. 28 at Kent State.

Unlike the previous two nights of the Shipley Classic, the Ragin’ Cajuns got off to a quick start. Two baskets from Thomas during the 19 minute mark and two baskets from Coleby in the 17 minute mark staked UL to an 8-0 lead.

Louisiana would hit its first five shots from the field, the last one coming at 16:40 when Jackson converted an offensive putback for a 10-3 edge.

The Colonels used four 3-pointers following the early 8-0 deficit to eventually draw even. A Talkington triple at 9:09 created a 15-all tie.

UL wouldn’t allow Nicholls to grab the lead answering each tie with a field goal make. After a Jeremy Smith stuff off a Cajuns turnover tied the game at 17-all, Jackson drained a three out on the left wing for the Cajuns to break the tie.

Leading 22-21, a triple by Thomas with 5:18 remaining in the opening half ignited an 11-2 Cajuns run that opened the first double figure lead of the game.

A four-point play by Talkington at 2:08 pulled Nicholls within single digits as the half came to a close.

Thomas converted a layup through traffic with 50 seconds left in the half for a 36-28 advantage. Louisiana had a chance to return the lead to double digits, but a missed field goal by Payton led to a Hammond three-pointer for the Colonels as the buzzer sounded cutting the Cajuns lead to 36-31.

UL hit 52 percent (13-of-25) from the floor in the opening stanza led by four field goals from Thomas and three apiece from Coleby and Jackson. Nicholls connected on six triples which allowed the visitors to stay in the game.

The Cajuns opened the second half in similar fashion, starting 5-of-9 from the floor and stretching the lead back into double figures.

UL scored the first six points going inside and getting two baskets from Coleby and one from Jackson before the 18 minute mark expired to open a 42-31 lead.

A three-pointer by Talkington and Trevon Lewis layup fueled a 5-0 mini-run for the Colonels that trimmed the UL lead to 42-36 by the 16:54 mark.

A Thomas jumper with 15:22 on the clock gave UL a 47-38 lead heading into the media timeout. Thomas buried a triple at 14:27 to extend the lead back into double figures for good. McClellan followed with a 3-pointer of his own on the next possession and the Cajuns began to pull away.

The closest the Colonels would come was 12 points with 12:49 left to play on a Hammond free throw. UL launched a 16-4 run that stretched the lead to 69-45 at 5:39. A Scottie Farrington jumper at 6:46 moved the Cajuns lead over 20 points (66-45).

— Ragin’ Cajuns —