Men’s Basketball: Marlin had been good in rematches

Men’s Basketball: Marlin had been good in rematches

Men’s Basketball: Marlin had been good in rematches

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • March 7, 2011

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The odds leaned heavily in UL’s favor going into its rematch with Western Kentucky on Sunday night in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, largely due to first-year coach Bob Marlin.

Marlin had been 11-3 over the past two seasons when facing a team for the second time in the same season. That included a 5-1 mark this season.

That history with Marlin, who spent the previous 12 years at Sam Houston State, didn’t matter much in the end as the Cajuns lost to the Hilltoppers, 81-76."I am proud that we hung in that long," Marlin said. "They (WKU) gained some momentum in the second half, and we couldn’t finish a play."

Congratulations

Four UL players — freshman forward J.J. Thomas, senior forward Travis Bureau, sophomore guard Raymone Andrews and junior guard Phillip Jones — were honored prior to Sunday’s game.Thomas (second team) and Bureau (third team) earned all-conference recognition. Andrews and Jones made the all-conference honor roll.Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters also awarded the Sun Belt West Division co-championship trophy to UL seniors Randell Daigle and La’Ryan Gary. The Cajuns shared the divisional title with Arkansas State this season after both teams went 11-5 in conference play.

Free throws

Former UL athletic director David Walker, who retired in January, was also honored prior to Sunday’s game "» The Cajuns fell to 24-15 all-time in the Sun Belt tournament, including a 2-6 mark against WKU. Their last postseason win came against Troy on March 5, 2006 "» UL dropped to 8-4 this season when leading at halftime "» Sunday’s loss snapped a four-game winning streak on the road for the Cajuns "» UL fell to 2-13 this season when trailing with five minutes left "» Former Sam Houston State and Cajun assistant coach Darby Rich was spotted in the stands.

Athletic Network Footnote:

Click here for the photo gallery of the Jan. 21-22, 2011 Basketball Reunion
(Over 300 photos in eight links and New Stories Link has over 40 stories)

Click here for the January 18, 2003 Basketball Reunion  

Click here for the Nov. 1-2, 2001 Shipley Basketball Reunion