Men’s Basketball: Youth Arises – Sheperd, Soto deliver in clutch to lift Cajuns over Arkansas State

Senior shooting guard Alan-Michael Thompson was out. Starting small forward Bryant Mbamalu too.

True freshman combo guard Kasey Shepherd, usually starting point Elfrid Payton’s backup, naturally figured he’d see more time than usual Saturday night.

But Shepherd got more than maybe even he bargained for and made the most of it, helping lead — along with, oh by the way, center Shawn Long’s 17-point, 16-rebound double-double — the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 61-56 win over Arkansas State in front of an announced 3,040 at the Cajundome.

Shepherd, who had a career-high 13 points and career-high 13 rebounds while playing a career-high 37 minutes in his first career start, called it "almost a dream come true."

"I remember one point when they were shooting free throws and I looked up, I was like, ‘Man, I don’t think I came out this half,’ " the product of Houston’s Dekaney High said. "But I was like, ‘Hey, if they need me to be on the court, then that’s where I need to be.’ "

With both Mbamalu and Thompson out, and with UL having lost by 17 points in a Dec. 27 visit to Arkansas State, the Cajuns (6-12 overall, 2-5 in the Sun Belt Conference), needed as much as they could get from as many sources as possible Saturday against a 10-6, 4-3 Red Wolves team that after having won four in a row has now dropped two straight.

And they go it.

Mbamalu, who averages 14.0 points per game, was out with a thumb injury sustained in last Thursday’s double-overtime loss to South Alabama. He underwent an MRI exam Friday, and will see a doctor Monday.

Thompson, averaging 10.5 points in a recent four-game stretch, didn’t play Saturday because he re-sprained his right ankle against South Alabama. A team spokesman, however, said he should return when the Cajuns play next on Thursday at Western Kentucky.

"I was proud of the freshmen stepping up," said Cajuns coach Bob Marlin, who got a combined 43 points from Long (a redshirt freshman), Shepherd, Josh Soto (eight) and Steven Wronkoski (five).

Marlin also got 13 points and strong defense from Payton, who helped hold Arkansas State guard Ed Townsel — who had a career-high 31 points against UL just more than two weeks ago — to only one point amid foul trouble Saturday.

Perhaps the most important thing the Cajun coach enjoyed, however, was a nice early lead.

After trailing by as many 14 points in first eight minutes at ASU, UL was up Saturday by nine points 3-24 — at the break.

It was the Cajuns’ first halftime lead since a Dec. 11 non-conference win over Lamar, now 10 games ago.

"Playing with the lead builds your confidence," said Long, who enjoyed his 10 double-double of the season. "So I think throughout the game having the early lead just helped us make it through.

"When we went to Jonesboro they kind of put it on us, and we know we’re a better team than them," he added. "So before the game we all got together and just said, ‘We’re gonna give it to ’em.’ I think we did a good job."

It was not without some scary moments for UL late, though.

After Shepherd hit a 3-pointer to make it 57-45 with five minutes and 23 seconds remaining, the Cajuns didn’t have a field goal the rest of the way.

Arkansas State trimmed what had been a 13-point UL advantage to as few as four at 60-56 after two Cameron Golden free throws with 24 seconds left.

UL then lost possession when Wronkoski couldn’t beat the five-second count on an in-bounds pass.

But 15-point team-high scorer Trey Finn stepped out of bounds trying to field Golden’s subsequent in-bounds pass, and — after Long missed two freebies with 18.2 seconds left — Finn missed a trey try and Long blocked Golden’s follow shot to essentially seal the deal.

"We battled all night," Marlin said.

"I think we were one shot away several times from busting this game open, but it seems like they’d drive to the basket and get a call, and they made a couple timely shots, and kept it a really close basketball game

"But we battled them on the boards and we played for 40 minutes down to the end, and made the plays we had to make late," he added. "We had to finish this game, for sure, and it would have been tough to let it go."

The last of Shepherd’s three 3-pointers — he was 3-of-5 from behind the long-distance line — went far in ensuring things didn’t slip away for the Cajuns.

So too did a nifty give-and-go between Shepherd and Long, and Shepherd’s earlier lob pass to Long for a second-half dunk.

"He (Shepherd) played well, no question," Marlin said.

"I knew going into the game I would have to step up, and these guys (teammates) were drilling me with that since a couple days ago," added Shepherd, who got extra study help on playing the off-guard spot from Payton on Friday. "So as soon as we started I was ready. I was ready to help my team in any way."