Game 18: TROY (10-8, 3-3 Sun Belt) vs. ULM (10-7, 3-2 Sun Belt)
Thursday, Jan. 24 | 7 p.m.
Monroe, La. | Fant-Ewing Coliseum (7,000)
ULM Basketball Notes: Game 18 vs. Troy
THURSDAY'S TICKET PROMOTION: 3-POINT SPECIAL
To celebrate ULM's emergence as one of the nation's top 3-point shooting teams, general admission tickets for the Jan. 24 game against Troy are just $3 (regular price: $10).
STORYLINE –
Fresh from its 99-95 victory over the Ragin' Cajuns, ULM (10-7, 3-2 Sun Belt) continues its three-game homestand Thursday, Jan. 24 against Troy (10-8, 3-3). The Warhawks (fifth) and Trojans (sixth) are separated by a half game in the conference standings. The Warhawks are a perfect 8-0 at home this season while averaging 87.0 points per game.
ULM's starting lineup features four double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-1 guard Daishon Smith (21.2 points per game; 50 3-pointers), 6-2 guard Michael Ertel (15.5 ppg., 38 3-pointers), 6-4 guard JD Williams (13.1 ppg.) and 6-6 forward Travis Munnings (12.9 ppg., 7.2 rpg.).
THE STARTING FIVE –
• ULM is a perfect 8-0 at home this season, averaging 87.0 points per game while shooting 48 percent (225-of-467) from the field including 42 percent (89-of-211) from behind the 3-point arc. In addition, the Warhawks have limited their opponents to 70.2 points per game while shooting at a 43-percent clip (201-of-466) from the floor, including 37 percent (63-of-172) on 3-pointers. ULM also has a turnover margin of +5.5 per game at home.
• ULM is 7-1 this season when limiting its opponents to 69 points or less. The Warhawks have held four opponents to a field-goal percentage below 39 percent. Only three opponents (Ole Miss .524, LSU .525 and Little Rock .620) have managed to shoot better than 50 percent from the field against ULM.
The Warhawks also have made nearly as many free throws (290) as their opponents have attempted (294) this season. Through the first 17 games, ULM has outscored its opponents, 290-195, from the free-throw line.
• ULM ranks among the NCAA Division I leaders in free-throw percentage (fifth at .784), 3-point field-goal percentage (ninth at .398) and 3-point field goals made (No. 24 at 9.9 per game). The Warhawks lead the Sun Belt in those three statistical categories: 3-point field-goal percentage, 3-point field goals made and free-throw percentage. ULM also ranks among the league leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio (second at 1.2), scoring offense (fourth at 77.5 ppg.), scoring margin (fourth at +5.7 ppg.), scoring defense (fifth at 71.8 points per game), field-goal percentage defense (fifth at .437), turnover margin (fifth at +1.6) and assists (sixth at 13.5 pg.).
• With his offensive rebound with 1:17 left in the first half against the Ragin' Cajuns, ULM senior forward Travis Munnings became just the fourth player in school history to score at least 1,000 career points and collect at least 800 career rebounds.
Members of ULM's 1,000/800 Club include Calvin Natt (1975-79: 2,581 points and 1,285 rebounds), Henry Steele (1968-72: 1,933 points and 1,161 rebounds), Bill Snellings (1966-71: 1,215 points and 1,093 rebounds) and Munnings (2015-19: 1,410 points and 805 rebounds).
• ULM has compiled a 10-4 record with senior guard Daishon Smith in the starting lineup (sidelined for three games with a hamstring injury; DNP in road games at Texas, Michigan State and Tennessee Tech). Smith ranks among the NCAA Division I leaders in 3-point field goals made (14th at 3.57 per game), 3-point field-goal percentage (18th at .446), scoring (23rd at 21.2 points per game) and free-throw percentage (26th at .885). He leads the Sun Belt in four different statistical categories: scoring, 3-point field-goal percentage, 3-point field goals made and free-throw percentage. Smith also ranks among the league leaders in steals (tied for third at 2.0 pg.), assist-to-turnover ratio (seventh at 1.7), field-goal percentage (eighth at .478), assists (eighth at 3.6 pg.) and minutes played (16th at 31.4 pg.)
The Jacksonville, Florida, native has scored in double figures in 13 games, including eight 20-point outings. Smith has scored in double figures in 10-straight games, averaging 22.8 points during that span. He is averaging 22.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists in Sun Belt play.
THE LAST TIME OUT –
ULM 99, Ragin' Cajuns 95 (Jan. 19, 2019, in Monroe, La.): ULM made its point with lots of points on Saturday and the Warhawks needed them all. Five Warhawks reached double figures scoring and ULM outlasted Louisiana Lafayette, 99-95, at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
Daishon Smith scored 27 points while setting career highs with seven rebounds and eight assists. Michael Ertel established his career high in scoring with 23 points, J.D. Williams scored 15 points and matched his career best with nine rebounds, Andre Washington scored a career-high 12 points and added seven rebounds and Travis Munnings contributed 11 points and eight boards.
ULM (10-7, 3-2 in the Sun Belt) improved to 8-0 at home. The crowd of 4,317 was the home team's largest and most raucous gathering of the season.
JaKeenan Gant led ULL (11-7, 2-3) with 31 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.
Two buzzer-beater losses on the road last week had ULM in no mood to keep it close early on. The Warhawks were on fire from the start, shooting their way to a 35-15 lead by the 9:34 mark. Ertel scored 10 points with two 3-pointers during the early blitz.
With 1:17 left in the first half, Munnings reached a solid milestone with his 800th career rebound. Munnings became just the fourth player in school history with 1,000 career points and 800 boards, joining Calvin Natt, Henry Steele and Bill Snellings in the exclusive club.
ULM led by as many as 22 points in the opening half while shooting 57 percent overall and 50 percent (7 of 14) from 3-point territory. Smith led ULM scorers with 14. Williams hit a long buzzer-beater as time expired in the first half to send ULM to the dressing room up 53-39.
The Warhawks cooled off to shoot 40.6 percent in the second half and 49.3 percent overall, and the Ragin' Cajuns made their run. A 3-pointer by P.J. Hardy at the 12:31 mark cut the lead to six at 64-58.
ULM kept ULL from getting any closer until Hardy's 3-pointer with 2:35 remaining cut the lead to 90-87. But Ertel answered immediately on the other end with a clutch 3-ball to boost ULM back ahead 93-87.
The Cajuns cut it to 95-92 on Justin Miller's layup with 15.2 second left in the game. Fouled with 8.2 seconds, Smith calmly hit a pair of free throws.
ULL's Cedric Russell stroked a 3-pointer with three seconds remaining to get it to two at 97-95, but Smith was fouled again and added two more free throws for the final margin, 99-95.
Smith made 13-of-13 free throws in the game, and ULM was 21-of-25 from the line overall.
TROY SCOUTING REPORT –
Troy is off to a 10-8 start overall in 2018-19, including a 3-3 record in Sun Belt games. Last week, the Trojans split a conference home series, losing 90-82 to Georgia Southern before defeating league-leading Georgia State (77-75).
Troy's starting lineup features three double-figure scorers, in 6-foot-6 forward Jordon Varnado (20.6 ppg., 7.7 rpg.), 6-8 forward Alex Hicks (11.7 ppg., 7.9 rpg.) and 6-1 guard BJ Miller (10.7 ppg.).
Varnado was selected Sun Belt Player of the Week after scoring 32 points each against Georgia Southern and Georgia State. His 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left gave the Trojans a 77-75 victory over the Panthers last Saturday. Varnado ranks among the league's Top 10 in six different statistical categories: third in scoring, third in blocked shots (1.2 pg.), fourth in field-goal percentage (.515), sixth in rebounding, sixth in offensive rebounding (2.5 pg.) and seventh in minutes played (33.5 pg.). His 28.8 scoring average in league games ranks second in the Sun Belt. Varnado, who has scored in double figures in 13-straight games, has recorded five double-doubles this season.
Hicks is listed among the conference leaders in offensive rebounding (tied for third at 2.7 pg.), rebounding (fifth) and blocked shots (tied for 13th at 0.8 pg.). He has produced double-figure rebounds in six games, including a season-high 12 boards against Austin Peay.
Troy ranks among the Sun Belt leaders in field-goal percentage (third at .468), free-throw percentage (fourth at .730), rebound margin (fifth at +0.9 pg.), assists (fifth at 14.2 pg.), assist-to-turnover ratio (fifth at 1.1), scoring offense (sixth at .770) and offensive rebounding (tied for sixth at 10.3 pg.).
ULM/TROY SERIES NOTES –
Thursday's game marks the 20th meeting between ULM and Troy. The Trojans lead the all-time series, 11-8, including a 3-7 record in games played in Monroe. The Warhawks have won five of the last seven meetings overall. Each of the last three meetings have been decided by six points or less.
Last season, the two teams split the regular-season series, with ULM winning in Fant-Ewing Coliseum, 76-71, and Troy winning in Trojan Arena, 73-67.
THE LAST MEETING IN MONROE –
ULM 76, Troy 71 (Jan. 25, 2018): Michael Ertel and Travis Munnings combined for 43 points to lead ULM to a 76-71 victory over Troy in Fant-Ewing Coliseum. ULM (8-11, 2-6 Sun Belt) outscored the Trojans, 50-30, over the final 18:20 to erase a 15-point second-half deficit and snap a four-game losing streak.
Troy (9-12, 3-5) jumped out to a 12-2 lead and never looked back en route to building a 14-point halftime lead at 38-24. Alex Hicks and Jordon Varnado combined to score 23 first-half points for the Trojans, hitting 9-of-14 shots from the field including a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the 3-point arc. The Warhawks shot 27 percent (9-of-33) from the floor in the first 20 minutes, including 3-of-12 3-pointers, and were outrebounded, 25-16.
B.J. Miller's three-point play gave Troy its largest lead at 41-26 with 18:56 left in the second half. ULM responded with a 14-0 run and pulled to within one at 41-40 on a 3-pointer from Munnings with 16:12 remaining. The Warhawks took their first lead at 47-46 on three free throws by Sam McDaniel with 13:11 on the clock. There were five ties and three lead changes in the second half. ULM took the lead for good at 56-54 on a layup by Munnings with 9:55 left. An offensive putback by Munnings sparked an 8-0 spurt as the Warhawks built their largest lead at 71-61 on McDaniel's layup off a touch pass from Jordon Harris with 2:17 to play. McDaniel converted 5-of-6 free-throw attempts in the final 27 seconds to ice the game.
ULM shot 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field in the second half, including 5-of-12 3-pointers, and outrebounded Troy, 26-15. The Warhawks finished with a 42-40 advantage on the glass.
Ertel led ULM in scoring for the third-straight game, finishing with a season-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the field, including 2-of-6 3-pointers.
Munnings scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half while McDaniel recorded his first double-double of the season and seventh of his career with 18 points and 10 rebounds. McDaniel posted 15 points during ULM's second-half comeback.
The Warhawks also got nine points and a career-high 16 rebounds from Marvin Jean-Pierre.
With 22 points, Wesley Person became Troy's all-time leading scorer with 1,887 career points. Hicks produced his eighth double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 boards. The Trojans also got 14 points from Miller and 13 from Varnado.
MUNNINGS JOINS EXCLUSIVE 1,000/800 CLUB –
With his offensive rebound with 1:17 left in the first half against the Ragin' Cajuns, ULM senior forward Travis Munnings became just the fourth player in school history to score at least 1,000 career points and collect at least 800 career rebounds.
Members of ULM's 1,000/800 Club include Calvin Natt (1975-79: 2,581 points and 1,285 rebounds), Henry Steele (1968-72: 1,933 points and 1,161 rebounds), Bill Snellings (1966-71: 1,215 points and 1,093 rebounds) and Munnings (2015-19: 1,410 points and 805 rebounds).
In addition, Munnings became the 20th player in Sun Belt history to reach the 800-rebound career milestone.
WARHAWKS REMAIN UNBEATEN IN FANT-EWING COLISEUM –
ULM is a perfect 8-0 at home this season, averaging 87.0 points per game while shooting 48 percent (225-of-467) from the field including 42 percent (89-of-211) from behind the 3-point arc. In addition, the Warhawks have limited their opponents to 70.2 points per game while shooting at a 43-percent clip (201-of-466) from the floor, including 37 percent (63-of-172) on 3-pointers. ULM also has a turnover margin of +5.5 per game at home.
The Warhawks have consistently gotten off to a quick start at home, outscoring their opponents by 94 points in the first half, 333-239. In its eight home games, ULM has trailed for 12:18 out of a possible 320 minutes.
DIALED IN FROM 3-POINT RANGE –
Three-point field goals have accounted for 38 percent of ULM's scoring (168 3-pointers made; 504 of 1,318 points) in 2018-19. The Warhawks have made double-digit 3-pointers in eight games, including four of their first five Sun Belt games. ULM tied the school single-game record with 17 3s in the 2019 conference opener against Little Rock. (ULM also made 17 3-pointers in a 90-82 overtime win at Georgia State on Feb. 10, 2018). The Warhawks have attempted at least 20 3-pointers in 13 of their first 17 games.
In 2017-18, ULM set a school single-season record with 288 3-pointers made (previous record: 287 made, 2006-07).
ULM TOUGH TO BEAT WHEN SHOOTING 50 PERCENT OR BETTER FROM THE FIELD –
ULM is 14-1 in its last 15 games when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, with its only loss coming in the 2017-18 regular-season finale against Arkansas State (.509). The Warhawks are a perfect 5-0 when hitting 50 percent or better from the floor in 2018-19, with wins over Millsaps (.516), Northwestern State (.509), Nicholls State (season-best .559), Coppin State (.500) and Little Rock (.556).
RICHARD REACHES COACHING MILESTONES –
With an 80-63 victory over Coppin State on Dec. 21, Keith Richard reached two coaching milestones by recording his 100th win at ULM and his 250th career win.
2018-19 ULM STARTING LINEUPS –
Different Starting Combinations (5):
Ertel, Smith, Williams, Munnings, Washington: 10 (8-2)
Ertel, Smith, Williams, Munnings, T. White: 3 (1-2)
Ertel, Harris, Williams, Munnings, T. White: 2 (0-2)
Ertel, Smith, Harris, Munnings, Washington: 1 (1-0)
Ertel, Harris, Williams, Munnings, Washington: 1 (0-1)
2018-19 WARHAWK STATISTICAL TRENDS –
Games played in Fant-Ewing Coliseum: 8-0
Games played on the road: 2-7
Games played in November: 3-3
Games played in December: 4-2
Games played in January: 3-2
When leading at halftime: 9-2
When trailing at halftime: 1-5
When tied at halftime: 0-0
When shooting .500 or better from the field: 5-0
When shooting less than .500 from the field: 5-7
When opponent shoots .500 or better from the field: 2-2
When opponent shoots less than .500 from the floor: 8-5
When outrebounding opponent: 5-2
When outrebounded by opponent: 4-5
When rebounding totals are equal: 1-0
When hitting more free throws than opponent: 8-4
When hitting fewer free throws than opponent: 1-1
When hitting the same number of free throws as opponent: 1-2
When committing fewer turnovers than opponent: 8-1
When opponent commits fewer turnovers: 2-5
When turnover totals are equal: 0-1
When ULM scores 50-59 points: 0-2
When ULM scores 60-69 points: 0-2
When ULM scores 70-79 points: 3-3
When ULM scores 80-89 points: 3-0
When ULM scores 90-99 points: 4-0
When opponent scores 50-59 points: 3-0
When opponent scores 60-69 points: 4-1
When opponent scores 70-79 points: 1-3
When opponent scores 80-89 points: 1-3
When opponent scores 90-99 points: 1-0
Games decided by five points or less: 2-2
Games decided by 6-10 points: 2-2
Games decided by 11-19 points: 3-1
Games decided by 20 points or more: 3-2
Last five games: 3-2
Last 10 games: 7-3
Largest deficit overcome to win: 6 (6-0 vs. Little Rock, Jan. 3)
Largest lead surrendered in a loss: 14 (53-39 at Georgia Southern, Jan. 10)
