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Men’s Basketball: Cajuns Elfrid Payton Sweeps Sun Belt, LSWA Player Of The Week HonorsPAYTON SWEEPS SUN BELT, LSWA PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS LAFAYETTE – After helping lead the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns to a pair of victories last week on the hardwood, Elfrid Payton was named on Monday as the Sun Belt Conference Men;s Basketball Player of the Week in a release by the league office. The Gretna, La., native and former John Ehret High product was also selected for the second time this season as the Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) Men’s College Basketball Player of the Week. The selection of Payton, who earned LSWA honors on Dec. 16, marked the second consecutive week that a member of the Ragin’ Cajuns earned Sun Belt and LSWA weekly honors. He joined teammate Shawn Long, who earned both awards on Feb. 10. For the week, Payton averaged 22.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 4.0 steals in helping the Ragin’ Cajuns extend their win streak to five games after victories over UALR and Arkansas State. The junior went 16-for-24 from the floor (.667) during the week, posting identical 8-for-12 performances from the floor in both games. Payton turned in a pair of 20-point scoring efforts – his 14th and 15th of the season – in helping the Cajuns move from fifth to third in the league standings and within a game of second-place Western Kentucky. In a 93-87 double overtime victory last Thursday over UALR, Payton posted his sixth double-double of the season with 23 points and 10 rebounds while blocking three of his career-high four shots in the two overtime periods. He put the Cajuns ahead for good with a free throw with 2:21 left in the second extra period. Payton came back to score 22 points in an 85-67 win over third-place Arkansas State on Saturday, handing out seven assists with six rebounds and a season-high six steals. On the season, Payton ranks third in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring averaging 19.9 points per game. The 6-foot-3 guard leads the league in both assists (5.9) and steals (2.5) while ranking second in minutes played (35.6), 10th in field goal percentage (.516) and 13th in rebounds (6.0). Louisiana (17-9, 8-5 SBC) will return to action on Thursday when it plays host to Troy in a 7:05 p.m. contest at the Cajundome. —
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