It wasn’t easy, but the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (17-11, 8-7 Sun Belt) came away with a huge win over Coastal Carolina (13-14, 7-8 Sun Belt) when it comes to positioning in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament thanks to a big performance from JaKeenan Gant.
How It Happened:
The Cajuns started out the ballgame with an impressive 14-0 run that was capped off by a dunk from Gant and this felt very similar to the last time these two teams met where the Chanticleers went up big early and never really looked back. After that strong run, they were able to hold on to their double-digit lead and headed into the locker room with a 39-24 lead against Coastal Carolina.
The start to the second half was just as good as the first for Louisiana, going on a 10-4 run before the first media timeout to give them a 21-point lead. The Chanticleers were able to put together a rally late in Thursday night’s matchup thanks to Tyrell Gumbs-Frater got hot halfway through the second half. However, the Cajuns finished strong in the final moments to come away with a 13-point win, standing pat tied for the fifth seed with UL Monroe.
Big Number: 42
The Cajuns were getting it done from the paint all night long, with 42 of their 83 points coming from inside the paint.
Player of the Game: JaKeenan Gant
Gant had a really good night, racking up 29 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. It was yet another impressive showing from the senior inside the Cajundome, which is to be expected.
Next Up: Sunday March 3rd vs App State; Tipoff at 1:30 pm
-Clint Domingue