The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns men’s and women’s basketball teams have had vastly different seasons.
The men’s team started fairly slow, but got on a roll into Sun Belt play, won seven games in a row at one point and looked poised to challenge for the regular season title. However, they stumbled late, lost four in a row, and had to win on the season’s final day just to secure fifth place.
The women’s team did not find consistency for most of the season but closed by winning six out of seven, despite mixing in a loss to the last-place team in the final week.
And yet, despite the different paths, both teams finished with the same conference record: 10-8.
They also now have the same goal: Winning four games in Pensacola to win the Sun Belt Tournament and earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
The men’s team has been here before and has had tremendous success in Pensacola. Of course, last year they cut down the nets, winning three games as the three seed behind Jordan Brown to make it back to the NCAA Tournament.
One year before that, the Cajuns entered as the ninth seed and made a surprise run all the way to the championship, only losing to Georgia State in the tournament championship. And in the first year that the event was held in Pensacola, the Cajuns made the semi-finals.
In total, that is a three-year sample size with the Cajuns going from the semi-finals, to the finals, to winning the whole event. Therefore, it is a group that is battle-tested in the event.
This year’s group may have to do it in a different way. Leading scorer Kobe Julien has had a strong season, and he was joined by forwards Joe Charles and Hosana Kitenge as all-conference selections. The front-line starters have been solid, but depth has always been the concern. The Cajuns have only had a nine-man rotation, and now with Themus Fulks’ availability in question due to an undisclosed illness, they may be down to eight players.
The path, however, seems more favorable than it could have. The Cajuns will play the winner of ULM and Coastal in the first round, with a combined record of 2-1 against those teams in the regular season. if they were to win that, they would face Arkansas State, who they faced and beat twice already this season. After that they would line up to likely face App State, but number one seeds have not historically had much success in Pensacola.
All-in-all, history is on the Louisiana men’s side to make a run.
When it comes to Garry Brodhead’s team, Pensacola has been more of a mixed bag. The first year that the event went to the Sunshine State, Louisiana won the regular season title and marched all the way to the championship game, falling just short to Troy. The next year, they were right back in the semi-finals, falling to UT Arlington. Last year was their worst showing, losing their first game to App State. However, leading scorer Lanay Wheaton was fighting through injury and the Cajuns were not at full strength.
This year’s team has struggled to find consistency but enters the tournament having won six of their last seven games. Veterans Brandi Williams and Tamera Johnson have led the way, while Destiny Rice has had to battle through injuries. She is not 100% but is expected to try to play through it in the tournament.
Louisiana is the seven seed, and faces Arkansas State in the first round, a team they beat twice in the regular season. Past that game, they would have to face Troy, who they lost to twice. The path is difficult, but the Cajuns avoid being on the same side of the bracket as Marshall, who was the most dominant team this year and is not a great matchup.
Regardless, this Louisiana team is looking to put together a magical run and book a ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007.
Both Cajuns teams are looking for postseason success, and know their NCAA Tournament chances are fully attached to their performance in Pensacola. Time will tell if this year proves magical for both teams as they travel towards the Florida panhandle.
Dawson Eiserloh is the co-host of “RP3, D-Loh & Meche” which is broadcast weekdays (11-1) on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles — Southwest Louisiana’s Sports Station.