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ULM Battles No. 11 Michigan State

ULM Battles No. 11 Michigan State

Men's Basketball Nov 14
Game 4: ULM (2-1) vs. No. 11 Michigan State (1-1)
Wednesday, Nov. 14 | 7 p.m. ET
East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center  (14,797)
 
ULM Basketball Notes: Game 4 vs. Michigan State
 
STORYLINE: ULM (2-1) plays its second of five-straight road games on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at No. 11 Michigan State, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. ET. The Warhawks suffered their first loss of the season at Texas, 65-55, Monday night.
 
ULM's starting lineup features two double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-6 forward Travis Munnings (14.7 points per game) and 6-2 guard Michael Ertel (14.7 ppg.). Wichita State transfer Daishon Smith (17.0 ppg.; 6-of-8 3FG shooting) is expected to miss his second-straight 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 31 percent of ULM's scoring (23 3-pointers made; 69 of 224 points) in 2018-19. The Warhawks have attempted at least 20 3-pointers in two of their first three games.
 
In 2017-18, ULM set a school single-season record with 288 3-pointers made (previous record: 287 made, 2006-07).
 
• ULM ranks among the Sun Belt leaders in field-goal percentage defense (second at .385), scoring defense (second at 61.0 points per game), offensive rebounds (third at 11.7 pg.), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (fourth at .266), blocked shots (fourth at 5.3 per game), free-throw percentage (sixth at .692), rebound margin (sixth at +2.3 pg.) and scoring margin (sixth at +13.7 ppg.).   
 
• 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 –
Texas 65, ULM 55 (Nov. 12, 2018, in Austin, Texas): Kerwin Roach II and Dylan Osetkowski combined to score 25 points to lead Texas to a 65-55 victory over ULM Monday, Nov. 12 at the Frank Erwin Center. Roach netted a team-high 13 points while Osetkowski finished with a double-double, with 12 points to go along with 10 rebounds.
 
There were eight ties and nine lead changes in the game, as ULM played without its leading scorer and 3-point shooter Daishon Smith (17.0 points per game; 6-of-8 3-pointers), who suffered a hamstring injury in last Saturday's game against Millsaps College.
 
ULM (2-1) led for nearly nine minutes in the first half. Travis Munnings scored seven-consecutive points as the Warhawks jumped out to a 9-3 lead with 14:56 left in the first half. The Longhorns put together a 12-0 spurt and built a seven-point lead at 18-11 on a 3-pointer from Jase Febres with 9:15 to play in the opening half. The Warhawks responded with an 11-0 run and took a 22-18 lead on a layup by Munnings with 4:33 remaining. Texas outscored ULM, 10-2, over the next two minutes to move out to a 28-24 advantage on a dunk from Jaxson Hayes with 2:26 on the clock. Munnings buried a 3-pointer from the right wing and connected on a 17-foot jumper from the left wing as the Warhawks cut their deficit to one at the intermission, 30-29.
 
Munnings led all scorers with 15 first-half points, hitting 6-of-12 shots from the field including 2-of-5 from 3-point range.
 
There were five ties and four lead changes in the first 7:23 of the second half. ULM tied the score at 43-43 on two free throws from Michael Ertel with 12:37 remaining in the game.
 
A 3-pointer from the top of the circle by Elijah Mitrou-Long sparked a 16-0 run as Texas (3-0) raced out to a 59-43 lead with 6:26 to play in the second half. During the decisive stretch, ULM missed seven consecutive field-goal attempts and committed three turnovers.
 
The Longhorns shot 50 percent (15-of-30) from the floor in the second half. For the game, Texas held a 20-4 scoring advantage in points off turnovers.
 
Ertel led all scorers with a game-high 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, including 2-of-5 from behind the 3-point arc. Munnings went scoreless in the second half (0-for-7 from the floor) and finished with 15 points. JD Williams scored in double figures for the first time in a Warhawk uniform, netting 12 points.
 
Despite a huge height disparity, ULM was only outrebounded by one, 36-35. Andre Washington grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds to pace the Warhawks.
 
ULM plays its second of five-straight road games on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at No. 11 Michigan State, with tipoff set for 6 p.m. CT.
 
MICHIGAN STATE SCOUTING REPORT –
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo welcomes back 11 lettermen, including four starters, from last year's 30-5 team that advanced to the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. In his 24th season as Michigan State, Izzo has led the Spartans to 21 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including seven trips to the NCAA Final Four (2000 National Championship).
 
The Spartans (1-1) opened the 2018-19 season with a 92-87 loss to Preseason No. 1 Kansas in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis, Indiana, and defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 106-82, in Sunday's home opener. Michigan State trailed the Jayhawks by 14 at halftime but rallied to pull to within three points in the game's final minute. In their 24-point win over FGCU, the Spartans shot 53 percent (41-of-77) from the field and outrebounded the Eagles, 49-25.
 
MSU's starting lineup features five double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-5 guard Joshua Langford (18.0 points per game and 7.0 rebounds per game), 6-9 forward Nick Ward (17.0 ppg and 7.5 rpg.), 6-0 guard Cassius Winston (13.5 ppg. and 9.5 assists per game), 6-5 guard Matt McQuaid (12.0 ppg. and 4.0 apg.) and 6-7 forward Kenny Goins (11.5 ppg. and 8.0 rpg). Both Winston (13 points and 11 assists) and Goins (17 points and 11 rebounds) recorded double-doubles against Kansas, while Langford (18 points and 10 boards) and Ward (25 points and 10 rebounds) posted double-doubles against FGCU.
 
Both Ward and Winston were among 10 players selected to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team.
 
ULM/MICHIGAN STATE SERIES NOTES –
Monday's game marks the third meeting between ULM and Michigan State. The Spartans lead the all-time series 2-0, with both games played in the Breslin Center. The series began on Nov. 13, 1998, with MSU producing an 89-58 win, and the last meeting came on Nov. 14, 2007, with the Spartans recording an 83-65 victory.
 
THE LAST MEETING –
MSU 83, ULM 65 (Nov. 14, 2007, in East Lansing, Mich.): Chris Allen and Drew Neitzel combined for 32 points to lead No. 12 Michigan State to an 83-65 victory over ULM in the CBE Classic regional final. The Spartans also got a double-double from Raymar Morgan, who finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds.
 
MSU enjoyed a 12-point halftime lead at 47-35 but trailed 57-56 with 13:46 left in the second half after the Warhawks buried three-straight 3-pointers.
 
The Spartans regained the lead, thanks to an 11-0 run, as ULM went scoreless for 6:42.
 
ULM's Jordan Payne, who hit 7-of-16 3-pointers, led all scorers with 27 points. As a team, the Warhawks made 14 3s.
 
Michigan State outrebounded ULM, 50-23.
 
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."
 
 
 
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