Game 6: ULM (2-3) vs. NORTHWESTERN STATE (2-4)
Tuesday, Nov. 27 | 6:30 p.m.
Natchitoches, La. | Prather Coliseum (3,400)
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ULM Basketball Notes: Game 6 vs. Northwestern State
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STORYLINE: ULM (2-3) looks to end its three-game losing streak while playing its fourth of five-straight road games at Northwestern State on Tuesday, Nov. 27, with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m.
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ULM's playing rotation features four double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-1 guard Daishon Smith (17.0 points per game), 6-6 forward Travis Munnings (14.2 ppg., 9.2 rpg.), 6-2 guard Michael Ertel (13.8) and 6-4 guard JD Williams (12.6 ppg.). Smith, a transfer from Wichita State, missed the last three games with a hamstring injury.
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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.
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• 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.
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ULM's 2018-19 roster also features eight newcomers, including Wichita State transfer Daishon Smith.
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• Three-point field goals have accounted for 30 percent of ULM's scoring (36 3-pointers made; 108 of 356 points) in 2018-19. The Warhawks have attempted at least 20 3-pointers in two of their first five games.
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In 2017-18, ULM set a school single-season record with 288 3-pointers made (previous record: 287 made, 2006-07).
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• ULM ranks among the Sun Belt leaders in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (second at .282),
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field-goal percentage defense (third at .406), scoring defense (third at 68.4 points per game), free-throw percentage (third at .741), 3-point field-goal percentage (fourth at .367) and blocked shots (sixth at 3.4 per game).  Â
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• 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).
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NORTHWESTERN STATE SCOUTING REPORT –
Northwestern State (2-4) snapped a four-game losing streak with its 70-66 overtime win over Alabama A&M last Friday. Both of the Demons' victories this season have come at home in Prather Coliseum.
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NSU's starting lineup features two double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-8 senior center Ishmael Lane (15.2 ppg., 7.2 rpg.) and 6-4 senior guard DeAndre Love (10.3 ppg). The Demons also get 9.5 points per game off the bench from 6-4 junior guard John Norvel, the team's top 3-point shooting threat (.429 on 12-of-28). Lane (18) and Norvel (12) combined for 30 points against Alabama A&M.
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NSU head coach Mike McConathy, now in his 20th season, welcomes back nine lettermen, including four starters from last year's team that finished 4-25, including a 1-17 record in the Southland Conference. The nine returning lettermen accounted for 67 percent of NSU's points and 69 percent of its rebounds a year ago.
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ULM/NORTHWESTERN STATE SERIES NOTES –
Tuesday's game marks the 124th meeting between ULM and Northwestern State. The Warhawks lead the all-time series 73-50; however, the Demons have won the last two meetings: 68-64 on Dec. 12, 2016, at the CenturyLink Center in Bossier City and 76-61 on Nov. 21, 2017, at Fant-Ewing Coliseum in Monroe.
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WARHAWKS vs. SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TEAMS –
The Warhawks have compiled a 357-232 record (.606) against current members of the Southland Conference (1-0 vs. Abilene Christian, 3-1 vs. Central Arkansas, 18-8 vs. Houston Baptist, 24-26 vs. Lamar, 61-56 vs. McNeese, 9-4 vs. New Orleans, 54-17 vs. Nicholls, 73-50 vs. Northwestern State, 19-19 vs. Sam Houston State, 62-30 vs. Southeastern, 31-21 vs. Stephen F. Austin and 2-0 vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi).
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ULM went 1-2 vs. Southland Conference teams last season, with an 86-75 win over Southeastern Louisiana and a 76-61 loss to Northwestern State in Fant-Ewing Arena and a 68-65 setback at Stephen F. Austin.
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ULM previously competed as a member of the Southland Conference for 24 seasons (1982-83 and 2005-06).
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THE LAST MEETING –
Northwestern State 76, ULM 61 (Nov. 21, 2017, in Monroe, La.): ULM trailed hot-shooting Northwestern State by as many as 17 points in the first half and never recovered in a 76-61 loss in Fant-Ewing Coliseum. NSU got balanced scoring from its lineup, with four of its five starters posting double figures and accounting for 57 points.
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The Demons (1-4) hit their first four field-goal attempts and jumped out to a 7-0 lead. ULM lost its most physical front-court player when Travis Munnings went to bench after being whistled for his third foul at the 17:12 mark. NSU put together a 17-5 run and built a 17-point lead at 26-9 on a layup by C.J. Jones with 11:45 remaining in the first half. ULM struggled on both ends of the floor and failed to cut its deficit to single digits for the remainder of the game. The Demons connected on 14 of their first 22 field-goal attempts (64 percent) and finished the half hitting at a 52-percent clip (17-of-33). Ishmael Lane and Jalan West (10 points each) combined for 20 first-half points as NSU took a 48-35 lead to the locker room.
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NSU took its largest lead at 76-54 on West's three-pointer with 3:53 left in the second half. The Warhawks committed 10 second-half turnovers and shot just 36 percent (10-of-28) from the floor after the intermission.
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Lane scored a game-high 17 points for the Demons, hitting 8-of-12 shots from the floor, while West made 4-of-8 three-pointers and finished with 16 points. NSU also got 13 points from Iziahiah Sweeney and 11 from Devonte Hall. The Demons outscored the Warhawks in the paint, 38-26, and outrebounded ULM, 37-32.
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Sam McDaniel, who scored 12 of his team-high 15 points in the first half, became the only ULM player to reach double figures.
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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.
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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.
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"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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