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Men’s Basketball: UL runs past Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in CIT opener

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, March 16, 2016

 

      Texas A&M CCisti vs UL RaginCajuns                         March 16, 2016

UL guard Jay Wright (1) goes up for a layup during the Cajuns’ CIT win over Texas A&M- Corpus Christi on Wednesday in the Cajundome.(Photo: Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser)

 

 

Playing at the up-and-down pace it prefers, and getting a career-high 28 points from senior guard Kasey Shepherd, the UL basketball team had some fun Wednesday night in its CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) opener.

The Ragin’ Cajuns ran the floor hard, limited their turnovers and cruised to a 96-72 win over Southland Conference-member Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in front of 1,205 at the Cajundome.

Because the CIT’s top three teams according to KenPom ratings all won Wednesday night — California-Irvine, Texas-Arlington and Columbia — the fourth-rated Cajuns failed to secure a second-round bye in the 26-team postseason tourney for mid-majors.

As a result, they will play again sometime this weekend on the road against a to-be-determined opponent.

“It’s really a good feeling to be able to keep playing — like Coach (Bob Marlin) said, to have another chance to play in the ’Dome in front of some of our fans” Shepherd said.

“Because after we lost (to No. 1 seed Arkansas-Little Rock in a Sun Belt Conference Tournament semifinal game last Saturday), I kind of had my mind set that that was it for me, I’m done. It was ready to starting focusing on school.

“But (this) gives us an opportunity to play,” he added, “and do what we love to do for a little while longer, so that’s a blessing in itself.”

UL (18-14) finished 11-of-24 on trey tries, including 6-of-12 from Shepherd.

Shepherd, now 17 points away from 1,000 in his Cajun career, moved past Aaron Mitchell (152) and Conley Verdum (156) and into sixth place on UL’s all-time leaders list for 3-point field goals made.

The Cajuns also got 17 points from Bryce Washington, a 17-point and 10-rebound double-double from Shawn Long, and 11 points each from Jay Wright and Steven Wronkoski.

UL guard Johnathan Stove (22) making his move to the

UL guard Johnathan Stove (22) making his move to the basket during the Cajuns’ win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. (Photo: Buddy Delahoussaye/Special to the Advertiser)

Long’s double-double was the 74th of his career, moving him into a tie with Navy’s David Robinson and Memphis State’s Keith Lee for 12th place on the NCAA’s career double-double leaders list.

UL, down by as many as nine early on, got back into it behind a stretch of 10 straight Cajun points from Wright.

The UL point used a layup and a 3-pointer in transition to tie the game at 19-19, then followed with another 3-pointer and a layup off a steal.

“Defensively we got good transition buckets, so it was kind of easier for the team,” Wright said. “If we get stops, you know, that’s our game in transition.

“We had the pace in our whole game the whole night,” he added. “It starts with getting stops from the defensive end.”

UL hit its last six trey tries of the opening half — the two from Wright, one from Wronkoski, one from Shepherd and two more from Wronkoski — to go into the break up nine at 46-37.

UL opened 2-of-13 from the floor, then went 13-of-18 over the rest of the first half.

“We got off to a slow start,” said Marlin, whose Cajuns committed only seven turnovers. “I’ll give A&M-Corpus Christi the credit for that. They were aggressive in the first half.

“They were straight-line driving to the basket. We changed defenses; it helped us a little bit, then we were able to get out in transition and make some buckets. And that’s when we’re at our best.”

The Cajuns came out of the gate and hit their first three 3s of the second half as well, with Shepherd canning all three.

The third of those Shepherd 3s made it 68-49 UL, and the Cajuns’ lead never slipped below 14 the rest of the way.

The Cajun advantage soared to a game-high 28 points twice, once on a layup by Shepherd with just more than three minutes left and again on a Tyrone Wooten jumper with 1:28 to go.

“A good effort by our guys,” Marlin said.

“We’re pretty good when the game gets going up and down,” he added, “and we were able to get stops. (That) was the main thing.”