Men’s Basketball: UL basketball snaps last-second three-pointer for win

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, March 21, 2015

 

UL defeated Sam Houston State with a last-second three pointer Saturday in the CollegeInsider.com tournament.(Photo: Sam Houston State Athletics)

 

VIDEO: Buzzer beater helps Cajuns advance to CIT quarterfinals

 

HUNTSVILLE, Texas – He has won lots of games before at Johnson Coliseum here.

For the longest time, even as coach of the UL Ragin’ Cajuns, he wore a ring celebrating one of Sam Houston State’s two Southland Conference Tournament titles and NCAA Tournament berths won under his watch.

So the longtime SHSU coach had plenty of people to see, hands to shake and memories to share in first trip back to Huntsville to coach a game since leaving for UL in 2010.

Yet when his now 22-13 Cajuns beat the Bearkats 71-70 in the most dramatic of fashions in a second-round CollegeInsider.com Tournament game Saturday afternoon, doing so on a Jay Wright pull-up 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds remaining, Bob Marlin downplayed the personal meaning of it all.

"It’s a win," he said.

"I didn’t think we played well the second half," Marlin added, "but we were able to hang in there and make enough plays to win the game."

Marlin’s players, however, shed some light on the truth.

"I know Coach Marlin and Coach (Neil) Hardin (Marlin’s assistant now at UL and also at SHSU) wanted to win so bad," Wright said.

"You know, he (Marlin) didn’t say much about it," guard Kasey Shepherd added. "But I know it means a lot to him to be able to come back and get a win at his old school, so he’s probably real happy inside right now."

UL, which led 38-29 at halftime, trailed by as many as five late in the second half but tied it at 68-68 after Shepherd hit two free throws with 37 seconds remaining.

The Bearkats answered, though, going up by two on a layup by Aurimas Majauskas 7.9 seconds remaining.

During a timeout, UL drew up its plan.

It called for Wright to drive to the rim and tie it with a layup, and if he could not do that then he would pass either to Shepherd, Hayward Register or big man Shawn Long on a pop-out.

Instead, when Kaheem Ransome cut him off at the pass, Wright pulled up for a trey that was spot-on.

"Jay Wright was huge," Marlin said of the sophomore point who scored a game-high 19 points. "He made some big plays."

Earlier in the second half, however, Wright encountered some issues.

With just under two minutes to go, and UL down two, he missed the front end of a 1-and-1. And on the Cajuns next trip down the floor, he had a jumper blocked.

During a timeout after missing the foul shot, Marlin coached Wright up.

"Coach Marlin gave with the confidence, when he pulled me to the side, when we were down," Wright said.

"I felt like he could make a play to win the game," Marlin added, "and I told him, ‘Hey, you’re the hardest-playing guy on the court right now. … Make a play and prove me right.’ And he did."

Wright did not hesitate before taking the 3.

"We’ve got compete faith in Jay taking whatever shot he wants to take," Shepherd said.

"It shows his resilience," the Cajun junior added. "He’s a dog. He doesn’t quit. To miss a 1-and-1 and come back and knock down the shot, it just shows you he’s not gonna give up."

With the win, UL advances to quarterfinal-round play in the 32-team CIT.

The Cajuns did not immediately know their next opponent, when they will play again or even if they will be at home or on the road.

While waiting to learn, they celebrated.

Shepherd noticed in the locker room beforehand, and again afterward, that Marlin had a ring on.

It was not, however, the one from Sam Houston State that he’s worn often, even when UL won last season’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament in New Orleans to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Marlin.

This time it was the Cajun ring UL won then, and he proudly wore it in his old home.

"I said, ‘Okay, he’s got his new ring on, let’s go in there and get a win, ‘ " Shepherd said. "I was glad we could do that for him."

Because Saturday’s win really did mean a lot to Marlin. With some pressing, he eventually admitted as much.

"It was exciting to come back and win," the Cajun coach said. "A lot of fond memories of this Coliseum."

LAGNIAPPE: Marlin said there is a "50-50" chance UL will play its next game at home, but IceGators hockey games scheduled at the Cajundome this week could make that difficult. … Long added 14 points, Devonta Walker 13 and Shepherd 11 for the Cajuns. Bryce Washington had eight points and a team-high nine rebounds. … SHSU finished its season 26-9, which just two losses – including Saturday’s – at home. … The Cajuns have won their last five straight true road games, and nine of their last 10. … UL’s next game will be its 36th of the season, which is a school record, surpassing the 35 it played when in the NCAA Tournament last year.