Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Related News

Warhawks Face Road Test at Texas

Warhawks Face Road Test at Texas

Men's Basketball Nov 12

Game 3: ULM (2-0) vs. TEXAS (2-0)
Monday, Nov. 12 | 7 p.m. CT
Austin, Texas | Frank Erwin Center (16,540)

ULM Basketball Notes: Game 3 vs. Texas

STORYLINE: Following back-to-back victories at Jackson State (75-66) and against Millsaps College (94-52), ULM (2-0) plays its next five games on the road, beginning at Texas (2-0) on Monday, Nov. 12. Two nights later, the Warhawks visit Michigan State (1-1).
 
ULM's playing rotation features four double-figure scorers; however, leading scorer and 3-point shooter Daishon Smith (17.0 ppg.; 6-of-8 3FG shooting) is doubtful for the Texas game with a hamstring injury.
 
THE STARTING FIVE –
• ULM's 2018-19 schedule features eight games against opponents that appeared in the 2018 postseason, including four NCAA Tournament participants (Texas, Michigan State, Stephen F. Austin and Georgia State) and two National Invitation Tournament participants (LSU and ULL). In total, ULM will play 10 games against opponents that won 20 or more games last season.
 
• Ninth-year ULM head coach Keith Richard welcomes back four lettermen, including double-figures scorers Travis Munnings and Michael Ertel, from last year's team that finished 16-16 overall, fifth in the Sun Belt (9-9) and participated in the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament. It marked ULM's third trip to postseason play in the last four years. Munnings, a preseason Sun Belt Player of the Year candidate, led ULM in scoring (15.9 points per game) and rebounding (7.3 per game) in 2017-18, while Ertel was named the conference's Freshman of the Year after ranking third on the team in scoring at 11.6 points per game.
 
ULM's 2018-19 roster also features eight newcomers, including Wichita State transfer Daishon Smith.
 
• Three-point field goals have accounted for 34 percent of ULM's scoring (19 3-pointers made; 57 of 169 points) in 2018-19. The Warhawks have attempted at least 20 3-pointers in each of their first two games.
 
In 2017-18, ULM set a school single-season record with 288 3-pointers made (previous record: 287 made, 2006-07).
 
• ULM is tied for the Sun Belt lead in blocked shots at 7.5 per game (with Georgia State). The Warhawks also rank among the league leaders in field-goal percentage defense (second at .368), scoring defense (third at 59.0 points per game), offensive rebounds (tied for third at 13.0 pg.), 3-point field-goal percentage (fourth at .422), 3-point field goals made (fourth at 9.5 pg.), scoring margin (fourth at +25.5 ppg.), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (fifth at .282), free-throw percentage (fifth at .717), rebound margin (fifth at +4.0 pg.), scoring offense (sixth at 84.5 points per game) and field-goal percentage (sixth at .487).
 
• ULM is 10-1 in its last 11 games when shooting 50 percent or better from the field (dating back to the 2017-18 season), with its only loss came in the regular-season finale against Arkansas State (.509).
 
THE LAST TIME OUT –
ULM 94, Millsaps College 52 (Nov. 10, 2018, in Monroe, La.): Travis Munnings scored 17 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to lead ULM to a 94-52 victory over NCAA Division III Millsaps College Saturday in its home opener in Fant-Ewing Coliseum. Munnings, who hit 7-of-11 shots from the field including 3-of-6 3-pointers, also collected nine rebounds.
 
There were four ties and eight lead changes in the first half. A 3-pointer by Michael Sullivan gave Millsaps its biggest lead at 27-23 with 4:48 left in the opening half. ULM outscored the Majors, 16-5, over the next 4:19 and took a 39-32 lead at the intermission. Millsaps outrebounded the Warhawks, 22-14, in the 20 minutes and enjoyed a 15-7 edge in second-chance points.
 
Munnings hit a jumper in the lane and knocked down a 3-pointer to spark a 14-2 run to open the second half as ULM raced out to a 53-34 lead. Andre Washington's dunk fueled an 18-4 spurt as the Warhawks extended their lead to 34 points at 79-45 on a jumper by Brandon Newman with 6:12 remaining in the game. ULM (2-0) outscored Millsaps, 55-20, in the second half while shooting 55 percent from the floor (18-of-33), including 6-of-13 3-pointers. The Warhawks also outmuscled the Majors on the backboards, 29-17, in the second half.
 
Munnings led the second-half surge, hitting 5-of-7 shots from the floor including 3-of-4 3-pointers.
 
Three other ULM starters joined Munnings in double figures, as Michael Ertel contributed 16 points and Daishon Smith and Washington each added 10 points.
 
Twelve different players saw action and 10 scored for the Warhawks.
 
Newlon Gillihan, who connected on 3-of-4 3-pointers, led Millsaps in scoring with nine points, followed by Sullivan, who tossed in eight points.
 
TEXAS SCOUTING REPORT –
Fourth-year Texas head coach Shaka Smart welcomes back seven lettermen, including four starters, from last year's 19-15 team that earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Longhorns (2-0) have opened the 2018-19 campaign with wins over Eastern Illinois (71-59) and Arkansas (73-71 in overtime; Armed Forces Classic at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas). The Texas starting lineup features two double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-4 guard Kerwin Roach II (18.0 points per game and 11.0 rebounds per game) and 6-9 forward Dylan Osetkowski (10.0 ppg. and 9.0 rpg.). Both Roach (18 points and 11 rebounds) and Osetkowski (11 points and 13 boards) recorded double-doubles against the Razorbacks.
 
Roach and 6-9 forward Jericho Sims (9.5 ppg. and 5.0 rpg.) were named Preseason All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.
 
ULM/TEXAS SERIES NOTES –
Monday's game marks the third meeting between ULM and Texas. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 2-0, with both games played in the Frank Erwin Center. The series began on Nov. 26, 2006, with Texas producing a 90-55 win, and the last meeting came on Nov. 14, 2016, with the Longhorns recording an 80-59 victory.
 
THE LAST MEETING –
Texas 80, ULM 59 (Nov. 14, 2016, in Austin, Texas): Tevin Mack led four Longhorns in double figures with 14 points as No. 23/21 Texas opened the Legends Classic with an 80-59 victory over ULM. Texas also got 12 points each from Kendal Yancy and Andrew Jones and 11 points from Kerwin Roach II.
 
ULM trailed 37-28 at halftime but cut its deficit to four at 41-37 on a 3-pointer from Jordan Harris with 16:19 left in the second half. Texas answered with a 10-3 run to push its lead back to double digits at 51-40. The Longhorns broke the game open with a 22-3 spurt, with the Warhawks going scoreless for more than three minutes.
 
Texas shot 50 percent from the field (30-of-60) while limiting ULM to 30 percent (21-of-69) from the floor, including 8-of-34 from behind the 3-point arc (24 percent).
 
Marvin Jean-Pierre led the Warhawks with 13 points while Travis Munnings contributed nine points and 10 rebounds.
 
WARHAWKS vs. BIG 12 TEAMS –
The Warhawks have compiled a 4-20 record (.167) against current members of the Big 12 Conference (1-4 vs. Baylor, 0-1 vs. Iowa State, 0-2 vs. Kansas, 0-5 vs. Oklahoma, 3-2 vs. TCU, 0-2 vs. Texas, 0-2 vs. Texas Tech and 0-2 vs. West Virginia). ULM's last win over a Big 12 opponent came at Baylor, 75-61, on Nov. 24, 2014.
 
WARHAWKS FROM THE LONE STAR STATE –
ULM's 2018-19 roster features two players from the state of Texas, including graduate-transfer guard Jontray Harris (Austin/John H. Reagan HS) and junior forward Andre Washington (Fort Worth/Arlington Heights HS and Hill College).
 
ULM PICKED FOURTH IN PRESEASON SUN BELT COACHES POLL –
Ninth-year ULM head coach Keith Richard welcomes back four lettermen from last year's team that finished 16-16 overall, tied for fifth in the Sun Belt (9-9) and participated in the CollegeInsiders.com Tournament. It marked ULM's third trip to postseason play in the last four years. The Warhawks, who were picked to finish 12th in the 2017-18 preseason poll, got off to a 1-6 start in conference play, but ULM won eight of its last 11 league games to climb into a tie for fifth place in the final standings.
 
Sun Belt head coaches have voted ULM to finish in a fourth-place tie with Troy (89 points each) in their preseason poll. Georgia State is the preseason favorite to win the league championship after receiving all 12 first-place votes and the maximum 144 points, followed by Georgia Southern and ULL, which tied for second with 125 points each.
 
"I really like this basketball team, especially our athleticism and versatility," Richard said. "Our expectations are high for the upcoming season, but with so many newcomers on the roster, I also understand it will take some time for this team to gel. Our goal is to steadily improve throughout the season, so that we're playing meaningful games in late February and early March. The only standings that truly matter are the ones at the end of the regular season."

 
 

Print Friendly Version