The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (14-7, 4-3 Sun Belt) were up against the ropes in the second half against Troy (10-10, 3-6 Sun Belt), but a late flurry helped the Cajuns come away with a thrilling 86-81 win.
How It Happened:
After an early back and forth, the Trojans were able to take control of the ballgame thanks to some solid shooting by Jordan Varnado. However, the Cajuns were able to take the lead with a 7-0 run with seven minutes left in the first half and were able to take a four-point lead into the locker room after a last-second three-pointer from PJ Hardy.
The Trojans started to chip away at the Cajuns lead early on in the second half and at around the halfway mark, they were able to take back the lead with a 9-2 run. Things started to turn around after the final media timeout though with the Cajuns getting to the free throw line and making the most of their opportunities.
Big Number: 7
The Cajuns three-point shooting in the second half was a big key to the victory on Saturday night, going seven-of-twelve. For comparison, the Cajuns shot 40 percent in the first half from beyond the arc and was a big reason why they weren’t able to take control of a lead until late in the first half.
Player of the Game: JaKeenan Gant
Gant being the player of the game is becoming too easy and with another twenty-point, ten rebound performance shows how crucial he is to the Cajuns success sans Malik Marquetti.
Next Up: Thursday at Appalachian State; Tipoff at 6 pm
-Clint Domingue